Mirror on the Wall
by Razuhfy
Summary: "Mirror on the wall, here we are again. Through my rise and fall, you've been my only friend." Happiness is often found where you least expect it. Has Naruto finally found that which will bring him happiness or will he drown in his sorrow trying to achieve it? Naruto/Temari
1. You're Pretty Cute

**AN: Meh. Don't have much to say other then the fact that I write what I feel like at this point.**

**Welcome to Mirror on the Wall!**

**This story was inspired by slythefoxx2 so if you want someone to blame, then go blame his ass. He is bad for me and vice versa. We write too much shit to begin with.**

**Enjoy or don't. Ya know how it goes. It is what it is.**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Lil Wayne ft. Bruno Mars - Mirror

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**_C L A N G_**

Lilac pupils narrowed slightly as the sound of metal being struck reverberated through the large hall that housed several dozen individuals inside of it.

Naruto heard several of his comrades grimace from the sheer brutality that the Suna Kunoichi just showcased.

The young redheaded teen crossed his arms against his chest as he stared at his fellow Leaf Nin who was unconscious and laying atop the spine of the Suna Kunoichi's metal fan.

Tenten, if memory served him correctly, stood no chance against her opponent. Not only was it quite possibly the worst matchup for the weapon wielding teen but it was quite obvious that the Suna Kunoichi was not a Genin either.

She was most certainly a Chunin masquerading as a Genin for the sheer purpose of showcasing Suna's strength. While yes, Suna was certainly in contention for the weakest Major Village, it did not change the fact that the village was notorious for producing some of the most fearsome Shinobi in the Elemental Nations.

_Shakuton no Pakura_ was the first Shinobi to come to mind followed by _Akasuna no Sasori_... A hero of her village and an army killer sent forth to conquer wars.

It did not surprise Naruto that Sunagakure was sending its most skilled team to Konoha to prove their worth. Kakashi had informed him that Suna's Daimyo was outsourcing missions and contracts to Konoha.

The redheaded teen shook his head at that. Why? What was the point of potentially bleeding your Hidden Village?

Pride?

The Wind Daimyo was a foolish man. Did the man not understand that he was walking a thin line? Shinobi were not individuals you wanted to cross.

Rasa was a man with very little morals as shown by his complete lack of care regarding his very own son.

Naruto's lilac colored eyes strayed towards his fellow redhead who stood at the opposite side of the massive hall.

The boy's blank gaze was fixated directly on him, as if the unstable boy somehow knew that he was thinking about him.

Sabaku no Gaara...

He was most certainly Suna's Jinchuuriki and he was incredibly dangerous. He had killed indiscriminately and none were spared during the 2nd portion of the Exam.

Naruto ignored the boy's soulless gaze before refocusing his attention back on the Suna Kunoichi. She was... hot. In his opinion, at least. Perhaps it was the wild hair style of hers or maybe even possibly the way she held herself.

Unlike so many of his fellow classmates at this age, she was a true Kunoichi who took her training serious. A bit prideful sure, but it wasn't all that bad. If you weren't proud of something that you sunk hundreds of hours into then you weren't doing it correctly.

Her four, sandy blonde pigtails bounced as she wrapped her hand around the metal spine of her fan. She proceeded to yank the weapon out of the ground, uncaring of the fact that Tenten's body was still laying atop of it.

The girl's body crashed into the ground harshly and Temari merely scoffed quietly as she walked away. She proceeded to wipe off her black Kimono with an annoyed expression before slowly glaring up into the stands. Her teal eyes centered on his purple orbs as her glare seemed to harden.

A beautiful woman with a fiery temper...

He was already falling for her.

Naruto slowly smirked at the fierce teen before winking directly at her. The girl's glare only seemed to deepen as she slowly made her way towards her team.

"Careful there, Naruto-kun." The voice of one Kakashi Hatake warned lazily. "Those Sunagakure girl's are dangerous."

Naruto glanced at his Sensei for a brief moment before shrugging his shoulders lazily while adopting an easy smile on his face.

"I like danger, Senpai."

Kakashi hummed in amusement before turning a page in his book. "Oh, I'm very much aware." He did not continue speaking and left it at that.

"You're such a pig..."

Naruto glanced to his right for a brief moment before rolling his eyes in slight annoyance. "I appreciate a woman who takes her training serious, Sakura."

The pink haired teen narrowed her eyes as she stared at her teammate. "Are you saying I don't take my training serious?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders with a small smirk. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Get mad all you want but I only speak the truth."

Sakura's teeth gnashed together in anger before she ultimately ignored the boy's statement. She'd get no where arguing with him.

Naruto was an unknown enigma and had only recently joined Team 7. A month ago to be precise. He replaced their former teammate named 'Sai' who magically disappeared one day.

That's what Kakashi-sensei had said atleast.

Naruto was...

Well, Sakura didn't really know how to feel about him. He was kind of an asshole...

Blunt to the point of being rude.

A bit cocky, which was kind of deserved in all reality. He had thrashed Sasuke on the first day of being introduced to the team. Sasuke didn't even land a hit on the boy.

He was usually laid back and was polite most of the time. Not overtly kind or anything but tolerable.

Annoying at times but was willing to give out pointers when needed and didn't mind taking time out of his day to help with whatever she or Sasuke needed.

All in all, he was skilled and kind of annoying. Annoying in a way that only superior Shinobi like Kakashi-sensei could be.

Sakura believed wholeheartedly that he was a Jonin in disguise. For what reason? She had no idea. But that's probably why she was so intrigued with him.

He and Kakashi would always speak about things that didn't really make sense, as if they had been friends for a very long time. Which was why Sakura believed he wasn't a Genin.

What kind of Genin is buddy buddy with a Jonin of Kakashi's caliber?

The two of them would joke with one another for hours upon hours during their training time. Though to be fair, she and Sasuke had never bothered to really question the abnormal relationship that their new teammate had with their Sensei.

Sakura's attention was drawn away from her teammate as she heard the proctor begin to speak. The man heavily coughed before clearing his throat and speaking.

"Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka." The sickly Jonin then placed one of his hands into his pockets before speaking again. "If you would, come down here please so we could get this over with."

Sakura glanced at her teammate who sported an indescribable expression on his face. The boy glanced at Kakashi for a brief moment as an unspoken conversation went between them. Kakashi nudged his head forward before offering the boy his infamous eye smile.

That seemed to make the boy move as he sighed quietly before grabbing onto the railings in front of him and leaping over it. He landed without a sound and placed his left hand in his pocket before moving forward.

The redheaded teen slowly strolled to his starting position uncaring of how much time he was wasting. Upon reaching the starting position he smiled lazily at his opposition before speaking in a nonchalant tone.

"Forfeit for me, please. You don't really stand a chance and I'd rather not have to explain to Tsume-san why her son ended up in the hospital."

The feral looking teen seemed almost offended as he stared at the Uzumaki. He was silent for a few moments before shaking his head and adopting an annoyed expression.

"Who the hell are you talking to? You don't even know me!" Kiba snarled angrily as his white puppy hopped out of his jacket. The dog then proceeded to bark several times as its fur stood on end.

Naruto glanced at the puppy for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the Inuzuka. He nodded his head several times before shrugging.

"That's exactly why I told you to forfeit... But ok then." Naruto slowly raised his hand towards his Hitai-ate that hung off his neck before placing his index finger against his thumb. He slowly glanced towards the Jonin Proctor before nodding his head quietly.

Gekko Hayate stared at the redheaded Uzumaki before nodding his head and glancing towards Kiba. "Are both fighters ready?"

When both teen's nodded their head, he proceeded to raise his hand high in the air. He was motionless for several seconds before bringing his hand down and speaking.

"Begin!"

Naruto glanced at Gekko's retreating form before bringing his attention to his opponent who had leapt away. He was quiet for a scant few moments before offering Kiba his chance to forfeit once more.

"This is the last time I'm asking. Forfeit please." Naruto channeled Chakra to the tip of his index finger before staring into Kiba's eyes.

The feral Inuzuka snarled angrily before dropping to all fours. "Go to hell!"

The redheaded teen stared at the boy for a single second before shaking his head in disappointment. He proceeded to release his index finger and not a moment later did a very high pitched metallic ding resonate from his position.

The metallic ding spread throughout the entire hall as several of the older Shinobi grimaced and or covered their ears to prevent the pain from Naruto's action.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kiba desperately clawed at the side of his skull as the ear-splitting ringing invaded his enhanced hearing. His eyes clenched tightly and he dropped to his knees while trying to block out the pain from having his ear drums assaulted.

Naruto stared at the boy before pulling his index finger back again and channeling more Chakra to his finger. He sighed quietly before flicking his headband once more.

Kiba released another cry of absolute pain as blood began to seep out from his hands that were covering his ears. He slammed his head against the hardened floor and screamed out in agony once more.

Naruto glanced towards Gekko before pulling his index finger back once more. "You might want to stop the fight Gekko-san... Who knows what could happen if I do it again."

The aforementioned Jonin Proctor began to clean his ear out with his pinky finger before grunting quietly. "I'm calling it here. It is clear that Kiba cannot fight."

The redheaded Uzumaki nodded his head in acceptance before pocketing both hands and turning on his heel. He glanced up towards the stands as his lilac pupils trailed across the remaining Shinobi.

His eyes swept through all of his potential opposition before landing on the Suna Kunoichi. Both teen's stared at one another before Naruto offered the girl another wink. He ignored her narrowed gaze as he jumped up into the stands to reunite with his team.

He never once looked back at Kiba who was being hauled out on a stretcher by several medics.

Naruto leaned on the metal railings before glancing towards Kakashi. He raised his hand before pointing at his headband. "It's a weapon too."

Kakashi smiled as he turned a page in his book. "I know. I've used one to kill someone."

Naruto tilted his head curiously with a grin. "You haven't told that story yet! I'm all ears!"

The silver haired Veteran chuckled quietly before wagging his index finger back and forth and answering simply.

"Too many ears."

Meanwhile, the rest of the Konoha Genin stared at the teen with apprehensive gazes. He had taken Kiba out with an incredibly simple but effective strategy. Attacking the boy's enhanced senses...

To have the surgical precision to do such a feat with his headband and finger alone was incredibly impressive. Not just anyone could channel Chakra to such a finite degree and do what he had done. Especially not someone who had just been added to a team not more than a month ago...

Naruto Uzumaki was... dangerous.

**Break**

"Alright cuties!" The scantily clad proctor from the Forest of Death spoke aloud. "Reach into this box and pick up _one_ piece of paper! If you pick up more than one then I am legally obligated to cut off three of your fingers~!"

The woman's grin was slightly unnerving due to the fact that her eyes were wide open and she was staring at everyone as if they were prey.

Naruto smiled in amusement before walking towards Anko without a care. She was a scary woman when she wanted to be and she was definitely one of his favorite Shinobi in the village.

"Well~!" The purple haired woman started as she stared at Naruto. "What's a _cutie_ like you doing here, hmm?" She dawned a sultry smile as the boy reached into the box while pulling out a single strip of paper.

"We've already seen each other Anko." He informed with a small smile.

The woman tilted her head for a moment before shrugging with a smile. "You know I have bad memory."

Naruto nodded his in agreeance before responding. "That you do Anko, that you do." The boy turned away from the woman as he waved over his shoulder. "I'll see at the bar later tonight." The woman did not verbally respond and only offered an unseen wink at his statement.

Naruto returned to his original position beside the Suna Kunoichi before glancing at the girl out the corner of his eye. He studied the girl's stoic face for a few moments before closing his eyes.

Several minutes passed by in relative silence with the only noise being that of Anko who would threaten each and every Genin that took a strip of paper from the box in her hands.

Temari was the last individual to receive her paper and she returned to her spot beside the red headed teen who had been subtly checking her out.

Temari might not be the most confident woman when it came to her looks but... She was kind of flattered at the boy's action.

Completely uncalled for sure, but alot of guys in Suna that were her age were intimidated by her. She was strong, bold, confident and possessed the infamous 'Resting Bitch Face.'

It usually turned guys off.

That and because she was related to the psychotic Jinchuuriki of Suna... As well as being the daughter of the Kazekage.

Men didn't really possess the... _balls_ to even look in her direction.

Temari would take what she could get. If the Uzumaki kid thought she was hot then that was fine with her. It felt nice to have some measure of attention being cast upon her.

She glanced towards the teen as she took in his form. Hair the color of blood sat atop his head, disheveled and spikey that no brush could even hope to tame. He possessed orbs the color of amethyst and on his right eye was a scar that ran from the middle of his forehead and ended at his cheek. He had most likely gotten the scar from a fight and he was lucky he hadn't lost his eye.

He wore a simple, black button up T-shirt that clung to his frame quite nicely. Upon his neck was the headband he had used to defeat his opponent and the cloth that the metal clung to was white. He wore a pair of form fitting black pants that were tucked into a pair of black boots.

On his waist was a white Kimono sash that sported several unique emblems as designs. On his left hand was a fingerless black glove and on his right wrist was a piece of cloth that sported a unique emblem on it, which was that of a swirl-like marking.

He was relatively tall, atleast compared to her. He stood several inches taller than her and he possessed an almost laid back personality. Similar to that of the Nara that had also passed to this part of the exam but it was clear that he wasn't lazy.

Which was a good thing, in her eyes. It meant he took his duties seriously but also knew when to properly relax. Temari would be a liar if she said she wasn't jealous about that. She never did get to really relax...

While she certainly didn't mind being the postergirl Kunoichi for Sunagakure, she'd also like to have the ability to be a 'normal' girl for once in her life.

That was wishful thinking though...

"Hey..."

She blinked as she heard the redheaded teen address her. She turned towards him with her ever present R.B.F. (Resting Bitch Face) and was only slightly surprised at the fact that he didn't immediately turn away.

Instead, he proceeded to offer her a crooked smile before speaking. "You're pretty cute... Thought I'd let ya know." After complimenting her, he turned back towards the Proctor and remained silent.

Temari was taken aback by his forwardness. Her eyebrows furrowed as she finally diagnosed what he had said. Her cheeks began to heat up and a slightly embarrassed expression formed on her face.

She... she had nothing to say to that. He had just called her cute. And in such a forward and bold tone, as if he was absolutely sure of it. There was no suggestive tone or anything of the like.

She was cute and that was that...

Kami, she felt like one of those schoolgirls that used to annoy her back in Suna when she was younger. Was this how those girls felt when getting complimented by a handsome guy?

She felt someone nudge her ribs and almost retaliated by swinging her fan at the person's skull. Upon realizing who was bothering her she immediately adopted an annoyed expression.

"Hey!" Kankuro whispered harshly with a hardened gaze. "_Focus_... We're not here for you to find yourself a little boyfriend."

Temari's eyes narrowed as her grip on her fan tightened angrily. She responded with venom as she glared into her brother's eyes. "Do you want me to bash your damn head in? Get out of my face!"

She proceeded to jab the end of her fan into her brother's gut while pushing him away. She scoffed angrily as he released a grunt of pain. "Mind your damn business, Kankuro."

Before the puppeteer could respond, another individual did so for him. An individual that caused no small amount of fear to fester in his heart.

"Leave Temari alone Kankuro... Or I'll drown you with my sand." Gaara's blank visage was directed at his older brother before shifting to his older sister. He stared into her teal orbs for a few moments before nodding quietly and staring ahead.

A small smile formed on Temari's face as she stuck her tongue out at Kankuro, mocking him.

"Do not be a child Temari." Gaara demanded without even bothering to turn in her direction. The aforementioned blonde grimaced lightly with an embarrassed expression before returning towards the Proctor who threw the box behind her.

Anko clapped her hands loudly before speaking. "Open your strips of paper. Half of you will have blank pieces with nothing written on them and the other half will have a single name on them. The name that you see scrawled on the paper is the person you will be fighting in the finals."

After the woman's statement all of the Genin proceeded to open their pieces of paper. Like she had said, half of them had a name and the other half didn't.

It was silent for a brief moment as half of the Genins analyzed their opponent. The silence was interrupted as Naruto whistled with a smile.

He turned towards Temari before offering her a wink and turning the paper towards her, revealing her name on it.

"Looks like it's me and you, beautiful." His compliment illicited a barely noticable blush and he continued speaking. "I look forward to our fight since you _actually_ train."

A roguish smirk formed on his face as he pocketed his hands before walking away. The boy reached his Jonin Sensei and both men glanced at one another before disappearing in separate shunshins.

Temari blinked several times before a small smirk formed on her face. For some reason... She wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face.

Perhaps it was her competitive nature or perhaps she just wanted to prove how strong she really was. She was looking forward to fighting him.

_"Naruto Uzumaki, huh?"_ Her smirk grew as she idly swung her fan. _"I'm gonna crush you..."_

The Chunin Exams just got a whole lot better now.

**Break**

Naruto walked side by side with his Sensei in silence as both men kept to themselves. The two Shinobi lazily strolled through the village without a true destination in mind.

"So... You're gonna be training Sasuke aren't ya?" Naruto finally questioned.

Kakashi sighed quietly as he glanced towards Naruto. "Yes. Hokage's orders."

The 14 year old rolled his eyes as he spun a kunai between his fingers. "Favoritism for the Uchiha still amazes me. He's unstable and is a flight risk. What does the Old Man see in Sasuke anyway?"

The silver haired Shinobi maneuvered through the crowds of villagers as he responded quietly. "Is that jealousy I detect?" He asked in slight amusement.

Naruto scoffed in annoyance as he rolled his eyes. "My right hand has more talent than Sasuke ever will. What's the real reason, Senpai? Don't bullshit me with a vague answer either."

Kakashi was silent for a few moments before ultimately sighing and closing his book. "Because he _is_ unstable and he _is_ a flight risk." He answered simply.

The son of Kushina shook his head in annoyance before sighing. "He shouldn't even _be_ a Shinobi... Itachi didn't hold back and that trauma isn't going away any time soon. No amount of 'bonds' and 'happiness' is going to change that. Why does Hokage-sama continue to try?"

The lanky Jonin placed his hands in his pockets before sighing. "Optimism, probably..."

The teen glanced at the older Shinobi before responding. "You don't even believe that."

"Of course not." Kakashi nodded his head as he agreed. "But orders are orders, Naruto."

Naruto shook his head before stopping at the popular bar that most Jonin and Chunin from Konoha frequented. He pushed the wooden doors open before holding it open for the lanky man to pass through.

As Kakashi walked passed, Naruto responded with a sigh. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm right." He proceeded to follow his Sensei as he nodded to several of the Jonin and Chunin who in turn, returned his greeting.

Kakashi reached the bar before promptly taking a seat and ordering a single drink. He pulled his book out of his flak jacket before pocketing his right hand.

"Hiruzen has his reasons, Naruto. Sometimes you just have to accept these things." He shrugged his shoulders as Naruto took the stool beside him.

Naruto tapped his finger against the wooden bar as he rested his chin on his clenched fist. "I still say we should lock the unstable bastard up and only have him procreate when he's of age."

Kakashi hummed quietly as he took a sip from his cup. "Is that your own opinion or something you learned under Danzo?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Naruto glanced at his Sensei out the corner of his eye. "It's better than the alternative." He shrugged uncaringly as he circled the rim of his cup.

Kakashi nodded his head, if only slightly before responding. "Yes... But it's highly unethical."

Naruto countered almost immediately with a raised eyebrow. "Kids fight in wars, Senpai."

Yeah... Kakashi had nothing for that one. Naruto was absolutely right about that. Debating the moral ethicality of the Elemental Nations was always a... foolish endeavor.

Ethicality in this world was so skewed that people were more worried about their possessions being stolen than a 12 year old child dying in a pool of his own blood under the pretense of keeping their home 'safe'.

It was a sad reality that they had learned to live with. It was considered the norm and it would possibly remain that way for the next several centuries.

Shinobi life was incredibly simple but incredibly complex at the same time.

The headaches of all headaches in Kakashi's humble opinion.

The two Shinobi enjoyed their brief silence before another individual joined them. Anko draped her from over Kakashi as she picked his glass up. She rubbed her generous chest against his back before downing his alcohol in one go.

"Wheeeeeeewwwwww!" She shook her head with a smile before wrapping her arms around the lanky Jonin. "Order some more rounds! I wanna get shit faced tonight." Naruto possessed an amuse smile as he gingerly sipped on his Sake.

Kakashi slowly turned a page in his book before reaching into his flak jacket and pulling out a stack of Ryo. He silently placed the money on the counter and pushed it towards the bartender before speaking.

"You heard the lady... More drinks."

The bartender nodded his head before swiping the money up and reaching for the liquor on the shelves. Anko released a happy laugh as her hold on Kakashi tightened. She swayed side to side as her head rested on his shoulder.

"Awwww~! You're too good to me, Kaikai-kun!" The purple haired beauty placed a gentle kiss on Kakashi's cheek before squeezing lightly. "Thank you, baby!"

The masked Jonin nodded his head with a small smile before responding. "You're welcome, Anko."

Naruto idly sipped on his alcohol before placing the glass on the bar. "When are you two tying the knot?" Their eyes found his as he shrugged his shoulders. "What? It's not official if there's no ring."

Anko glanced at her boyfriend before shrugging her shoulders and grabbing one of the many shots that the bartender provided. She tilted her head back before downing the liquor.

Her body shook for a brief moment as she exhaled heavily. "Whenever he buys a damn ring! Married or not, he's still mine and I'll stab a bitch over him."

Kakashi hummed quietly as he turned a page in his book. "Now now now... No need for violence my deadly snake charmer. I doubt there are other women interested."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in disbelief before laughing loudly. "That is quite possibly the most _incorrect_ statement I've heard in my life. Women flock to you like cats with catnip."

A kunai embedded itself deep into the wood directly in front of Naruto. His lilac pupils glanced at the weapon for a brief moment before traveling to the woman who had thrown it.

"Shut up, cutie. Don't give him ideas... He might leave me for someone better." Anko smirked as she snatched another shot before downing it.

Naruto snorted quietly before ripping the weapon out of the bar and spinning it on his index finger. "Doubtful. Senpai doesn't have it in him to leave you... That or he's scared that you'll cut his balls off while he sleeps."

The lanky man nodded his head at the second part of Naruto's statement but said nothing.

"Starting the party early, eh Anko-san?" The gruff voice of one Asuma Sarutobi rang out beside Naruto.

The redhaired teen glanced at the man before nodding his head in greeting. The bearded Jonin returned the greeting with his own nod before offering the teen a cigarette.

Naruto took the addictive stick of tobacco before lighting it with a simple application of Katon Chakra. As he was about to place it in his mouth, it was snatched away.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you aren't allowed to smoke?!"

Naruto groaned quietly as Kurenai threw the cigarette away while taking her place on Asuma's lap. She focused her glare on her boyfriend before speaking.

"And how many times do I have to tell _you_ to stop giving him the damn things?!"

Asuma sported an apologetic expression as he raised one of his hands trying to placate his lover. "C'mon Nai-chan... He's a Shinobi. He does far more dangerous things... Smoking is the least of his worries."

The beautiful woman's glare did not lessen and Asuma only sighed quietly. He glanced towards Naruto before shrugging helplessly. "Sorry Naruto, I tried."

The aforementioned redhead just shrugged his shoulders before downing his glass of alcohol. "All good. _Mom_ over here never lets me do anything fun."

Kurenai rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Asuma. "Yes well, if my troublemaking _son_ listened then we wouldn't be in this situation now would we?"

Anko laughed as she held two shot glasses in her hand. She slid one of the glasses towards Naruto before tossing the other to Kurenai who scrambled to catch it.

"C'mon! No bickering you two! We're getting shit faced tonight! Wooooooo~!" Anko then proceeded to down two more shots before exhaling heavily.

Naruto and Kurenai glanced at one another before shrugging and downing the liquor. Naruto shook his head several times as the substance traveled down his throat. He rubbed his face before releasing a shaky exhale.

"It ain't that strong, cutie~!" Anko swayed on her feet before winking and downing yet another shot.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows before shaking his head. "This is like... 80 proof. The hell are you talking about Anko?!" He glanced towards Kurenai who sported a disgusted expression.

The purple haired woman waved off the question before downing two more shots and leaning on Kakashi. "You two areeee jusss... weeeeeeaaaak." Her voice tapered off into a slight slur as she swayed to and fro.

Asuma chuckled quietly as he gently stroked Kurenai's thigh. "She's already trashed." He shifted the cigarette in his mouth while blowing the smoke away from Kurenai. "Doesn't look like she's stopping anytime soon either."

Naruto shook his head before glancing towards the entrance of the bar. He spotted a few other Jonins who were slowly making their way towards their little group. He spotted Genma who was flanked by Gekko and his girlfriend, Yugao.

Naruto sighed quietly before taking one of the shots and hopping off his barstool. He downed the liquor before shaking his head and placing the glass back on the bar. He waved his hand over his shoulder before saying his goodbyes.

"I'm gonna call it an early night. Got some things to do, wish I could stay though." He ignored Anko's childish insults as she tried to get him to stay. He bid a simple goodnight to Kurenai and Asuma while patting Kakashi's shoulder and walking past Genma, Gekko, and Yugao. He greeted the three of them with a simple hello and goodbye as he left the establishment.

The moon was already resting in the sky as Naruto slowly strolled through the village without a particular destination in mind. He walked for almost 45 minutes and ended up near one of the larger lakes on the outskirts of Konoha.

His eyebrows furrowed when he noticed a person, a woman to be exact, that was standing on the docks. He spotted a familiar weapon on the woman's back and a small smirk formed on his face.

Naruto slowly strolled towards the woman's position with his hands in his pockets. His footsteps echoed out loudly as he slowly strolled up to the Suna Kunoichi.

Temari's eyes narrowed as she slowly glanced to the teen that was now standing within arms reach. The same teen that she would be fighting in the Finals.

The same teen that had called her... cute.

A dash of red formed on her face at that particular memory and she willed the blush down. Why was he here?

Spying?

"What brings you here, beautiful?" The teen glanced at her with a small smile before continuing. "Are you not returning to Suna tomorrow?"

Temari's eyes narrowed once more as she stared out into the crystal blue water of the lake. She debated truly answering the boy as it seemed he was fishing for information. Or perhaps he was genuinely curious. She didn't feel any ill intent from him so... Maybe.

"My team and I will be leaving tomorrow to return back to Suna." She decided to indulge him. If anything, it'd give her something to do other than just staring out into this lake by herself. Maybe he'd be good company.

She blinked as a particular smell invaded her nostrils. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as the particular smell of alcohol wafted off the boy. Not enough to cause her nose to curl or anything but enough to know that he had drank a glass or two.

Interesting...

He shifted on the balls of his heels before nodding his head. "I meant what I said by the way." His lilac pupils glanced over to the girl as his gaze traveled from her head to her feet.

An action that caused heat to radiate in Temari's chest. Gah! He was so bold... What kind of guy was _this_ straight forward?!

Temari didn't know how to respond and her gaze dove towards the wooden dock beneath her. She was not used to being complimented and this was fairly new to her.

"Uhh... Err. Th-thanks." She responded lamely, inwardly cringing at how awkward that sounded. His light chuckle caused a blush to form on her face and this one did not go away.

"I'd say you're not used to being complimented, hmm?" He questioned with no small amount of amusement.

A small glare that held no heat was aimed at the teen who only laughed quietly. "S-shut up!" The girl's hands wrapped around her fan for comfort as the boy raised his hands with an easy smile.

"I'm kidding Temari. No need to bash me with it. Just curious is all." His smile did not disappear as he slowly sat down on the edge of the dock. His left leg dangled off, just barely scraping the surface of the water while his right knee was pulled against his chest. "How old are you Temari?"

The sandy blonde Kunoichi glanced down at the teen before she willed her blush away. Once she was positive it was gone, she answered quietly.

"16."

Naruto nodded his head as he rested his head against his knee. "A bit old to be a Genin, hmm? Definitely Suna's showcase team, I take it?"

Temari narrowed her eyes but did not respond to the boy's questions. Regardless if he was correct or not.

He did not seem perturbed by her reaction or lack there of. He only smiled while drumming his fingers against the wooden dock.

"Gaara is a Jinchuuriki." He stated simply.

A heavy and tense silence settled in the area as Temari stared at Naruto with no small amount of caution and suspicion.

How did he know that?

While it was common for children related to the Kage of their respective village to be chosen as a Jinchuuriki, Sunagakure had three potential children to pick from.

The fact he singled out Gaara instead of her and Kankuro was telling... He had already proved himself to be a dangerous individual and Temari doubted that the boy was actually a Genin. He did not possess the eyes of a Genin but one of a Jonin.

Her grip on her fan tightened immensely as she slowly inched away from the boy. Though the next statement caused her to pause in surprise.

"Relax... Wanna know a secret?" He glanced around the clearing before smiling at Temari. "I'm a Jinchuuriki as well."

Temari swallowed the saliva that built in her mouth before narrowing her eyes. "And you could be lying..."

It was a brief moment.

Just a single second.

But that one second terrified her like no other.

The hatred... The anger... The _malevolence_ that wafted off of the teen was suffocating.

His once amethyst orbs were now the same color as his hair and seemed to glow. Those animalistic orbs settled directly on her and it felt as if he was staring into her very soul.

They were gone just as fast they had appeared.

Temari stepped away with a shaky exhale and was now aware of the fact that she had broken out into a cold sweat. Her teal orbs glanced down to her hands and noticed the shaky and weak grip she had on her fan.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare to you but you'd not believe me any other way." The boy's gaze was now focused on the lake as he drummed his fingers against the dock. "Yes, I am a Jinchuuriki. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki to be exact. And Gaara is the Ichibi Jinchuuriki."

Temari willed herself to calm down as she stared at the Uzumaki. She was silent for several moments before narrowing her eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

Naruto pursed his lips before shrugging carelessly. "Who knows? Maybe I have an ulterior motive."He glanced at the girl before raising a curious eyebrow. "Or maybe I want you as my wife one day. I have to extend a hand of trust if I want yours."

Temari would have been a blushing mess had it not been for the overall tenseness of this entire conversation.

_His wife?!_

Kami! He had no tact whatsoever!

Temari shook her head to ignore these thoughts before breathing in heavily to calm down. She exhaled slowly before staring into the boy's amused eyes.

"You gain nothing from this..." She pointed out.

Naruto offered her a crooked smile as he responded. "I wouldn't say that. You confirmed Gaara's status whether you wanted to or not. But like I said, perhaps I have an ulterior motive. That motive being _you_ as my _wife_." He ended the statement with a cheeky grin as Temari's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Y-you have no tact!" She yelled out in embarrassment.

Naruto offered her a laugh as he responded. "I just know what I want and you haven't really pushed me away. So who knows? Maybe _you're_ the one." He smiled as the girl's face darkened even further.

Temari did not know what to say to these advances and only turned away in sheer embarrassment. Her hands nervously glided across her weapon as she stared out into the lake.

"I uhh... I-I... I'm gonna go!" The 16 year old Suna Kunoichi immediately dashed out of the area in a burst of speed. Naruto laughed loudly as he rested against his chest. Temari was cute.

And she'd most certainly be his.

He'd make sure of it.

Naruto was quiet for several minutes before sensing a presence beside him. He lazily glanced up at the figure who was garbed in an ANBU outfit. They possessed a rather blank mask that only had a single design which rested in the center of the mask.

It consisted of three concave lines that were organized in separate rows. Following the three concave lines were two rows of the same lines but they were cut off at the half way point.

_Root._

Naruto said nothing as the Root member stared down at him. Several seconds passed by in silence before the member spoke in a blank tone.

"Danzo has requested that you deal with the Ichibi Jinchuuriki during the final exam."

Naruto raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders and returning to gaze out into the water. "I was already planning on it... But would it not be better to instead capture him and force Suna to act? Killing him seems like a waste."

The Root Shinobi was silent for several minutes before answering in that same robotic tone.

"I will pass the message along to Danzo-sama... In the meantime, you are free to continue with your pursuit of the heiress."

Naruto scoffed at the man before waving him off. "I was going to chase her whether Danzo approved or not. She's the one." His amethyst orbs seemed to almost glow after his statement. He eyed the Root Shinobi before lazily gesturing with his hand. "Run along now. Everything is going according to plan."

The unknown Root member was silent for a brief moment before bowing his head and disappearing shortly after.

Naruto continued to stare out into the lake before closing his eyes with a smile.

Temari was a beautiful woman... She'd be his.

**AN: That was really fun to write :D**

**As always, Favorite, Follow, and Review! **


	2. Sword and Shield of Konoha

**AN: I like writing for this story. Which is usually never a good sign but whatever. Here's another one.**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : XXXTENTACION - Changes

It was amusing, Danzo thought. To be in the very office that he had once desired for so long. He had done so many things in his quest to usurp Hiruzen's control over Konoha.

From trying to assassinate the man to turning his most loyal Shinobi against him. Even going so far as trying to cause a civil war from within the Village's walls.

Now?

He was old. But more importantly, he was _tired_.

Tired of playing cat and mouse with Hiruzen. Tired of pushing his beliefs in a world that did not think the same as he did. Tired of chasing after a position that he would have once sacrificed everything for.

He was tired. Just tired.

Danzo shifted his cane quietly as his old rival began to silently fill his pipe with his ever trusty tobacco. Danzo would have shaken his head had he truly cared. He did not understand how Hiruzen could continue this age old habit, especially since the both of them were nearing 70.

"You are aware of why I have called you, yes?" Hiruzen slowly placed his pipe in his mouth as he leaned back in his seat with his hands clasped together, resting them in his lap.

Danzo silently closed his visible eye before adjusting his position in his seat. "No, but please inform me so I can know."

If Hiruzen wanted to beat around the bush with meaningless questions then he would respond in kind. They did not need to waste each other's time with trivial nonsense but they were both petty men and they'd always be petty men.

The Sandaime Hokage of Konoha did not immediately respond to the man's answer and chose to enjoy his tobacco instead. He idly blew out the addictive substance for several minutes before placing the pipe on his table.

"What mission objective did you give Naruto for the final exams?" Hiruzen finally questioned.

Danzo wanted to sigh at the question. Did it matter what order he gave to Naruto? The boy would either do it or ignore it.

Incredibly talented and gifted as he was, the boy was not one of his underlings. While he had jurisdiction over a majority of Naruto's missions and contracts, the boy ultimately still answered to Hiruzen.

Naruto really only listened to him due to a sense of gratitude and respect for what he had done for him in terms of training and growth.

"Are we going to do this song and dance?" The bandaged elder questioned rhetorically. "Naruto will do what he wishes at the end of the day, within reason of course."

Hiruzen just stared directly into Danzo's eye before placing his left hand on the mahogany table in front of him. He idly drummed his fingers against the wood as he spoke.

"That did not answer the question, Danzo." His expression did not change in the slightest and his gaze was ever piercing.

Something that did not and would not affect Danzo.

The man shifted his cane in his hand before closing his eye and answering simply. "I requested that he deal with Suna's Jinchuuriki."

Hiruzen's fingers did not cease their actions as he responded. "Why? Do you possess information privy to the circumstances regarding Wind Country? What would crippling their power do for Konoha?"

The Warhawk of Konoha wanted to sigh in annoyance and he would have had it not been for the fact that he wished to keep up appearances... and pride.

Mostly pride though.

"I am curious to see his reaction." Danzo paused for a moment as he let the comment sink in. After a few seconds of silence, he continued. "The boy has shown a healthy interest in Rasa's daughter."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he stopped drumming his fingers against his table. "And you did not inform me of this, why?"

The bandaged man responded with a stoic expression. "Why?" He questioned rhetorically. "In the boy's own words, 'It is none of your business, Old Man.' I believe that is sufficient enough."

Danzo smirked in amusement at the flash of irritation that appeared in Hiruzen's eyes. Naruto always did manage get under his rival's skin. Not like he was any better though.

"The little brat is intelligent enough to know that a situation such as this could have a major impact on both villages." Hiruzen sighed quietly as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why?"

Danzo raised an eyebrow silently. Why what? That could mean many things.

"Why did he choose Rasa's daughter?"

Danzo took the question as an inquiry. "That information is unknown... He did not inform me, simply stating, 'She is the one.' If this means something to you then by all means, speak."

Hiruzen frowned at the man's statement as he contemplated the words that Naruto had said. He mulled over the statement for several minutes before sighing silently.

Perhaps he was thinking too deep about the entire situation. Naruto more than likely found the girl attractive and interesting. It could be as simple as that. Naruto was still young despite his upbringing within the Shinobi Corps so it was a not a stretch of the imagination to believe that Naruto finally found someone who he believed was a suitable romantic interest.

Shaking his head, Hiruzen spoke. "I will push it aside for now. In the meantime..." His elbows rested atop his table as he scooted his chair closer to his desk. "Your monthly update... Has he made any progress?"

Danzo dipped his head down once as he rested deeper into his seat. "He has... Minimal at best but it is improvement nonetheless. I expect that he will have it mastered in a year or two... At most."

Hiruzen was silent for a few moments before nodding his head. "Anything else?" When his rival shook his head negatively, he nodded quietly. "Then you are free to be on your way, Danzo."

The bandaged man slowly rose from his seat before nodding his head. "I enjoy our talks Hiruzen. We should do them more. We are not getting any younger and you cannot be Hokage forever."

The Sandaime Hokage stared at his rival for a moment before shaking his head. "You enjoy our talks?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No." Danzo replied bluntly. "I was lying."

The Warhawk immediately left the room after his statement causing Hiruzen to sigh in annoyance.

Danzo was annoying.

Hiruzen preferred the days when his old rival was trying to kill him. That was much simpler to deal with. But no, he had to deal with a decrepit bitter man now.

**Break**

Naruto placed his hands into his pockets as he slowly strolled through Konoha's fanciest onsen. It was a beautiful place if he was being honest.

Good service, exquisite management and beautiful women that frequented it.

Yes, yes yes... The Lilac Lily was deserving of the 5 Star reviews it usually got.

But, Naruto was not here for any of that. He was here to find someone. Someone that loved to frequent these establishments when in the village. A renowned Shinobi that was a student of the Old Man's.

Jiraiya the Toad Sage.

Naruto passed by several women who were garbed in nothing but towels. He ignored their curious gazes and nodded to the women he recognized.

"Any particular reason you're here, Naruto-kun?"

The red haired teen glanced to his right, spotting a beautiful woman with pale skin and auburn hair. Her hair fell passed her breasts and she was garbed in nothing but a towel, leaving little to the imagination.

He shrugged his shoulders as he stopped in his quest. "Looking for an old pervert... Seen one around here by chance, Mari?"

The woman smiled in amusement as she leaned on the doorway of her room. "I may have some information regarding this... _pervert._" She crossed her arms over her breasts before winking. "What do I get for telling you?"

Naruto rolled his eyes as he responded. "Nothing."

Mari childishly pouted before complaining. "You're never any fun... He's in the co-ed section." She shook her head from side to side, jostling her wet tresses. "Why not stay and relax? C'mon~... My room is big enough for two."

The boy shook his head with an amused smile before walking away. "Yeah... No. I've heard about your fetishes, Mari. I'm a-okay without that in my life."

The woman shrugged her shoulders with a smile. "Suit yourself then, cutie." She proceeded to then close her door, allowing Naruto to continue on his journey.

The last Uzumaki lazily strolled to his destination, idly appreciating the art and decor that was displayed in the building. Upon reaching the kiosk that would allow him entry, he was stopped by the receptionist.

"I'm sorry, but you are-... Oh! I apologise!" The short woman bowed her head before speaking. "I did not see your headband."

Naruto waved the apology off with an easy smile. "Is Jiraiya of the Sannin still in?"

The ebony haired woman reached for a clipboard before flipping several of the pages on it. She was silent for a moment before nodding with a smile.

"He's still in, sir."

Naruto nodded his head before moving forward without another word. He ignored the woman's confused expression and just pushed the doors open that would allow him access into the co-ed section of the onsen.

He didn't really understand why co-ed sections existed... Most civilians were too modest to socialize in an environment such as this. Shinobi were the only ones that frequented the co-ed baths and areas.

Not like he really cared, but still.

Naruto slowly passed by the changing rooms and opened the double doors that led to the main area of the co-ed section. He ignored the naked individuals around him as he searched for Jiraiya. It shouldn't be that hard to find the man.

Hearing a boisterous laugh followed by giggling, Naruto turned towards one of the smaller tubs in the back area of the onsen. He spotted Jiraiya who held a glass of sake flanked by two gorgeous woman.

Raising an eyebrow at the scene, Naruto slowly approached the trio. He did not recognize the women but that mattered little. They weren't Shinobi so he didn't really care either.

Naruto halted just a few feet away from the group before raising an eyebrow and speaking. "Women that _aren't_ disgusted by your presence? This is certainly new, Jiraiya."

The giggling and laughing stopped as Jiraiya turned around to face the individual who spoke. The Sage dismissed the teen without really looking at him as he responded.

"Scram kid. Can't ya see I'm busy with some beautiful women?" The man turned back towards the women, missing the narrowed gaze that the teen now sported.

Does Jiraiya _not_ recognize him? Does he _not_ know who he is?

No, no no no... Surely the man was trying to annoy him. The Old Man had informed him of Jiraiya's habits and his personality. _Surely_ Hiruzen would have explained to Jiraiya just who exactly he was.

He had _red hair_ and _purple eyes_... It wasn't hard to guess who the hell Naruto was!

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in genuine annoyance as he spoke with a hardened edge to his tone. "Listen here you shitty old pervert, turn around and look me in my eyes."

The Toad Sage turned around with an annoyed expression as he responded. "Listen here kid. I don't know who the hell you... think... you're..." He trailed off silently as he stared at the teenager in front of him.

This...

It was like he was staring at a younger Minato that possessed red hair. The same sharp chin and narrowed eyes... but with Kushina's features.

"Naruto...?" Jiraiya questioned in a disbelieving tone.

Said teen crossed his arms against his chest with an annoyed expression. "Who else? I'm the only person in this village with _red hair_ and _purple eyes_ you senile perv."

The teen shook his head before rolling his eyes. "Save your questions and apologies for later. I don't want to hear any of them nor do I really care for them. I'm here for business." He turned on his heel before walking away while waving over his shoulder. "Follow me."

Naruto continued moving not caring if Jiraiya truly followed after him. If he did, then good. If he didn't, who cares? He was not here to speak to his 'Godfather'... He had sought Jiraiya out for training on behalf of Hiruzen's insistence.

Naruto was positive that the Old Man only requested he be pulled out of Root so that he could form 'bonds' with those of his age and act like a child, etc.

Blah blah blah.

The redhaired teen truly didn't _want_ to interact with those of his age. Why would he? He's been a Shinobi for most of his life.

He was a _Jonin_ already.

Well, not _officially_... But that didn't matter. He knew what he was doing and that was enough. He had friends already...

Yeah sure, they were all older but why did Hiruzen believe he needed to be around those of his age? Kakashi didn't do so and he turned out fine... Kind of.

He was mentally stable atleast... Did that not count for something?

Naruto sighed quietly as he left the onsen. He rolled his neck quietly as he briefly glanced behind his back, spotting Jiraiya who was adjusting his top. The man's hair was still wet alluding to the fact that he had scrambled out of the onsen.

It was clear to Naruto that the man wanted to talk but didn't know how to do so. Which was reasonable, Naruto thought.

His father had been incredibly important to Jiraiya and to lose that person was heart breaking. While Naruto could certainly sympathize with the older man regarding the entire situation, it didn't mean he agreed.

He was absolutely _pissed_ at Jiraiya.

Of course the entire situation was out of his hands and nothing could be changed about the past but Naruto was entitled to his own opinion.

Jiraiya being his Godfather was a...

He shook his head thinking about it. Naruto didn't ultimately care and the title and responsibility meant nothing to him. They were Shinobi.

Was Jiraiya supposed to drop everything and raise him?

No.

He had a duty to his village. Yes, he definitely could have introduced himself when he was younger and in need of guidance but...

It was weird to say but Naruto saw Danzo as a father figure. The man would have been a _terrible_ actual father and he certainly wasn't suited for the role but Naruto had grew to appreciate the way that Danzo handled his upbringing.

Naruto was a successful Shinobi due to Danzo's excruciating training methods. He didn't really get to live like a normal child but that wasn't really realistic considering he was a Jinchuuriki.

He would have never had a normal childhood to begin with.

Naruto had been on autopilot the entire time and ended up leading them to the bar that he frequented with Kakashi and his group of friends. He ignored the slightly perplexed expression on Jiraiya's face and just sighed quietly while pushing the door open.

Might as well go inside and speak to the man. He was already here anyway. One the plus side, the Shinobi would ignore them as they talked.

Pushing the doors open Naruto slowly lead his company towards the back of the bar. He nodded to many of the Shinobi in the room who returned his silent greeting.

Naruto glanced towards the bar of the establishment and spotted Anko who was silently chatting with Might Gai. Her eyes were locked onto him and she possessed a blank visage upon her face.

He stared into her eyes for a moment before shaking his head quietly. Getting his message across, he slid into the booth with Jiraiya mimicking his actions on the opposite side.

The two males stared at one another quietly. Naruto was content with just waiting and not talking. There was nothing he really had to say about Jiraiya but it was clear the man wanted to say something about the entire situation.

Naruto grew tired of the silence and rested his cheek against his clenched fist. "Whatever you want to say, say it. Let's just get it out of the way right now."

Jiraiya's face shifted through several emotions before he sighed quietly. "Do you hate me?"

Naruto blinked at the question before answering quietly. "No... I don't even know you. I can't hate someone who I've never truly interacted with. Do I like you on the other hand? Not particularly, no."

Jiraiya seemed to grimace lightly at the blunt answer. He didn't really blame the boy either. It wasn't like he had gone out of his way to get know him either. Simply asking Hiruzen if the boy was being taken care of.

He had the gaze of a hardened Shinobi and at such a young age as well. Maybe he should have been here to raise him...

"I guess that's expected." Jiraiya answered quietly. "How much do you know about me?"

Naruto closed his eyes, responding in that same uninterested tone. "Oh, I know everything Jiraiya. My father, my mother, the Bijuu, your reasoning... _You're_ the one that knows nothing, clearly."

Jiraiya sighed quietly as he rubbed his face. It's not like the kid was wrong.

"Do you atleast understand why I wasn't here?"

Naruto would have rolled his eyes had his eyes actually been open. He wasn't a child who needed emotional healing nor was this something that affected him heavily.

"You act like I'm a child, Jiraiya. I'm a seasoned Shinobi. I understand but that doesn't mean that I necessarily accept it." He opened his eyes before pinning Jiraiya with his gaze. "I'm over it. It's been several years since I've been told and while I still hold some resentment towards you I'm mature enough to look past it."

Jiraiya stared at the boy for a long time without saying anything. He was so similar to his father... He had truly expected the boy to turn out like his mother given the circumstances he was dealt.

"Sensei mentioned that someone had trained you. Who was it?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders while responding in a nonchalant tone. "Danzo Shimura. I'm a Root member... Unofficially, at least." The redheaded teen almost burst out into laughter at the expression on Jiraiya's face.

"Sensei let _Danzo_ train you?! And allow you join Root as well?! WHAT?!"

He was baffled! Was Hiruzen going senile?!

_Danzo Shimura?!_

What was he thinking?!

Naruto rolled his eyes with an amused smirk. "It's not like you were here to prevent it from happening." It was a low blow and Naruto knew it but he didn't care. "I turned out alright in the end so it doesn't really matter now does it?"

A heavy frown settled on Jiraiya's face after the boy's statement. He needed to have a talk with his Sensei after this. It didn't matter if he wasn't here, why would Sensei even allow this?

"You can fuss about it to the Old Man later. I want to talk about why I even sought you out in the first place." Naruto leaned back in his seat as he gestured for a waitress to take his order. "The Old Man pulled me out of Root a little over a month ago. Why? No idea and I don't care enough to question him about it."

"I have enough experience out in the field that's worthy of a field promotion to Jonin. Only problem is that due to my unique circumstance under Danzo, I am not officially on the Shinobi Roster for Konoha. Bla bla bla... I'm stuck here in the Chunin Exams, need to rank up, etc etc etc."

The boy glanced to the attractive waitress who was standing by his side, awaiting to be addressed. Naruto gestured lazily with his hand as he told the woman his order.

"The usual Misa-san." The woman said nothing as she wrote the order down in her note pad before turning towards Jiraiya and raising a curious eyebrow.

"Uhh... Just some sake is fine." He answered quietly, still compartmentalizing what Naruto was even saying.

When the attractive woman walked away Naruto continued to speak. "Now while I don't necessarily _need_ your guidance or anything of the sort, you did train my father and he did go on to conquer a war. Natural prodigal genius aside, there is no denying your involvement and the progress that father made whilst under your guidance. I'm perfectly fine without ever having to actually be under you but I'm being courteous here solely out of respect for my father."

Naruto placed his hand on the table and began to drum his fingers against the aged wood. "The Old Man... _requested_ that I seek you out to form some sort of bond... I assume so atleast. If it was up to me however, I wouldn't have come to you. I'm just being honest with you Jiraiya. As one man to another, I'd rather not be having this conversation with you in the first place. But, I owe the Old Man so..." He trailed off quietly as the waitress dropped off a bottle of liquor with two glasses and a pack of cigarettes.

Naruto smiled with a nod as the woman winked silently before handing Jiraiya his order. She bowed her head to both men before leaving without another word.

Naruto grabbed the pack of cigarettes ignoring Jiraiya's stare and began to lightly tap the carton against his palm. He opened the carton before fishing out one of the addictive sticks of nicotine.

He placed the object in his mouth before lighting the cigarette with a small application of Katon Chakra. Once lit, he took a heavy inhale of the addictive substance before slowly exhaling.

Kami, he missed this. Kurenai was too... _motherly_ at times. He appreciated her concern for his well-being but c'mon. Cigs weren't _that_ bad...

They made some of his jutsus bad ass. That's got to count for something atleast.

Naruto positioned the cigarette towards the corner of his lip before sighing quietly. "Your concern is noted..." He mentioned offhandedly alluding to the fact that he was aware of how Jiraiya felt regarding his habit. "But I'm not giving it up."

Naruto took the stick out of his mouth before ashing it out in the tray beside him. Jiraiya shook his head with a tired sigh as he rubbed his face. He opened the bottle of sake that the waitress brought to him before pouring a glass for himself.

He gulped the entire glass down before exhaling heavily. "Seems like I got alot to learn about you..."

That was an understatement, Naruto thought.

The two men continued to idly talk with another, casually getting to know one another and speaking about mundane topics.

Several hours passed by before Naruto glanced towards the entrance of the bar. Walking through it was Kurenai and Asuma who spotted him immediately. Kurenai frowned with an annoyed expression spotting the cigarette that was resting between his fingers. The woman immediately began to stomp towards his position as Naruto sighed tiredly.

"Hello _mother_... Come to ruin my fun tonight?" Naruto questioned with a minor slur.

Kurenai snatched the cigarette before crushing it in her hand and taking the carton away. She proceeded to toss the object towards Asuma who scrambled to catch it.

Kurenai glanced towards his company for a moment as her annoyed frown shifted. Her eyes narrowed significantly and before she could question what Jiraiya was doing here with Naruto, she was interrupted.

"Hey~ Nai-chan!" Anko purred. She wrapped an arm around the woman before pulling her away. "Let the boy's get to know one another, hmm?" She stared into Kurenai's eyes for a moment before smirking and pulling the woman away who followed reluctantly.

Asuma shook his head quietly before tossing the carton of cigarettes back to Naruto who nodded with a smile. The bearded Jonin smirked quietly before following after Anko and his girlfriend.

"Interesting friends you have, kid." Jiraiya mumbled quietly.

The teen glanced towards Jiraiya before shrugging with a small smile. "They're more annoying if anything. But... I wouldn't trade 'em."

Jiraiya was silent for a few minutes before a small smile formed on his face. The boy was right, he did turn out pretty fine.

Perhaps his worries were completely unfounded.

**Break**

Temari dropped to a single knee as she glared at nothing in particular. Her breathing was harsh and ragged and sweat cascaded down her face and body, dripping onto the sand and pooling beneath her feet.

Temari's left hand sunk into the coarse material as she struggled to rise to her feet. She was eventually successful and slowly rose to her full height while standing on shaky legs. She inhaled heavily before slowly raising her fan, her arms shaking the entire time.

The sandy blonde Suna Kunoichi grit her teeth as she opened her fan, revealing all three moons that were designed upon her fan. She gave a mighty warcry before winding her arms back and swinging her weapon.

The ginormous gust of wind that followed afterwards was a sight to behold. Tornados of sand and wind slung to and fro as many dunes of sand were completely eviscerated and or blown away, leaving the land little more than a barren landscape.

Temari grit her teeth as she stared down at her handy work. Her fingers desperately clutched onto her fan as she struggled to keep her arms up. Her vision swayed for a brief moment before the girl slowly fell to the ground.

Before she could crash into the sand the girl's fall was cushioned by a small cloud of sand. The girl closed her eyes as her fan slowly fell out from her grasp.

"Geez... What's gotten into her?" There was a brief moment of silence before the individual who had spoken sighed heavily. "She's been like this since we left Konoha."

Kankuro slowly approached his older sister before gently turning her body over to reveal that she was unconscious. He stared at her for a moment before sighing quietly and gently lifting her into his arms.

Her ever trusty fan was left on the ground for a brief moment before being lifted into the air by a cloud of sand. The cloud slowly trailed after Kankuro who did not seem perturbed by the event.

Kankuro slowly approached his younger brother who was staring into the moonlit sky with his ever blank gaze. "C'mon Gaara... It's late. Let's go home."

The Ichibi Jinchuuriki did not verbally respond as he slowly rose to his feet. He glanced at Temari for a moment before shifting his attention to Kankuro. He stared at his brother for a moment before nodding his head and walking away. Kankuro followed after his little brother silently as he glanced at Temari's sleeping face.

This had been the cycle for the past two weeks since they had left Konoha. Temari would wake up just at the crack of dawn, eat, and then train for the remainder of the day until she fell unconscious or until she could no longer stand.

Sparring with Baki until she could no longer fight back, ordering Gaara to attack her from every angle with his sand, and sparring with multiple Chunin at a single time.

She was pushing herself to the _absolute_ limit and Kankuro didn't understand it. Well, kind of. He had a few theories for that reason but he wasn't going to try to figure that out any time soon.

Temari was a woman that put her all into everything she did. Whether that be training, cooking, hobbies, etc. She never did anything half ass and always completed the tasks she set out for herself.

So while it wasn't all that shocking to see her training in a manner such as this, Kankuro was curious as to the reason why.

"Hey, Gaara?" He questioned quietly as he shifted Temari's body. He continued to speak at Gaara's silence. "Any idea on why she's been pushing herself so much?"

The redheaded teen was silent for several moments before answering in a blank tone. "Naruto Uzumaki..."

Kankuro furrowed his eyebrows at the odd answer he received. Naruto Uzumaki? The kid from the Chunin Exams?

What?

Well sure, the kid was pretty dangerous but... What was the reason? Why did Temari feel the need to push herself so strongly?

Gaara did not elaborate and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask Temari. She'd bash him over the head while telling him mind his own business. It's what she always did.

Instead, Kankuro just sighed quietly before shaking his head. Temari had her reasons and that was that. Wasn't anything he could do about it nor did he truly wish to do so.

...

Maybe she had a crush on the boy and wanted to impress him?

That... That was a thought. Maybe?

Hmm.

...Nah! No way!

But...

**Break**

Naruto ducked a roundhouse kick before palming a kunai in his right hand. He shifted on the balls of his heels before lurching towards his opponent. He swung his kunai in a wide arc towards his opposition who blocked the attack with their tanto.

Several metallic clangs resounded through the dark hall as both Naruto and the masked Shinobi traded blows with their weapons. Sparks illuminated both fighters' forms before a grunt left the masked Shinobi.

Naruto's right foot embedded itself within the Shinobi's stomach before he jumped into the air while twisting his lower body. His left foot struck the masked Shinobi's face sending him flying into one of the walls.

There was silence for a brief moment before Naruto sighed. "I don't see why I still have to train your lackeys... Shouldn't I be preparing for the Ichibi?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Danzo replied to his student. "Has your two weeks with Jiraiya been wasted?" The elderly man slowly appeared from the shadows with his right hand and left hand flanking his sides.

Fu Yamanaka and Torune Aburame.

Two men that annoyed Naruto every single time he interacted with them. They still held resentment for him due to the fact that Danzo had personally trained him since a child.

Something that was an _incredibly _rare circumstance, apparently. Danzo was supposedly never actively involved in the training and teaching of his Root members. Leaving it to the lower ANBU Captains who would volunteer on behalf of the Hokage's orders.

In short... They were jealous.

Naruto sighed quietly before twirling his kunai on his finger. "The only thing that Jiraiya is able to teach me is how to _not_ get my ass beaten by a superior opponent."

Danzo, already used to the boy's personality, just stared at his pupil. "You believe that your father got to where he is on the back of Jiraiya's teaching?"

Naruto knew Danzo was goading him and had he been a better man, he would have ignored the obvious taunt.

But Naruto was not a better man.

Naruto rolled his eyes as he responded. "Jiraiya is a powerful Shinobi and he'd absolutely curb stomp you, Sensei." He dawned an amused smirk at Fu's narrowed gaze before continuing. "I can handle most Jonin no problem... Of course I'll still struggle against Kage level Shinobi. What do you expect from a 14 year old?"

Danzo responded almost immediately. "And Itachi?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto scoffed in annoyance as he pocketed his Kunai. "Itachi is similar to my father and it's a cheap comparison. He has the _Sharingan_... Give me a pair and I'll do the same crap he can."

Danzo shifted his cane before replying almost immediately. "Your father did not have the Sharingan. What is your excuse?"

The Uzumaki teen merely glanced at his Sensei before narrowing his eyes and responding flippantly. "Blame my mother." He lazily waved his hand while continuing. "I don't have my father's drive. I like to be lazy sometimes."

Danzo ignored the statement before gesturing for his right hand and left hand to approach Naruto. "If that is the case, then I will motivate you."

Naruto stared at the approaching Shinobi before scoffing loudly. "These two aren't worth my time." He smirked arrogantly at their tense forms before continuing. "I could take these two with a blindfold."

And he was given just that.

Danzo threw a black cloth towards the teen who caught it with a curious expression. "Prove it then." Was all the bandaged man said.

Naruto stared at the blindfold in his hand before smirking and tying it around his head. "Give me an _actual_ challenge, Sensei... These two are lightweight." He laughed loudly before being forced to jump away from a series of kunai and shurikens.

"Awww. Did I hurt your feelings?" The redheaded teen mocked in a condescending tone as he weathered the attacks from the two older Shinobi.

Danzo watched the boy dodge, counter attack, and aggress on his underlings with absolutely no issues whatsoever.

Naruto was _incredibly_ talented... Among those who stood at the hierarchy of the Shinobi world. Not only in power, but in skill, prowess, and intelligence.

He had goaded the boy with comments about his father to see if Naruto truly was motivated to surpass his father. Naruto possessed the potential to do so but it relied solely on him alone.

Naruto possessed the keen intelligence that his father possessed but actively chose to put on a front similar to his mother. He was cocky as all be but it was certainly deserved.

While a dangerous trait to possess, Naruto understood how debilitating pride and arrogance could be. It was how he got that scar upon his face after all. He was cocky and arrogant towards those who he knew without a shadow of doubt were beneath him.

But individuals like himself, Kakashi, Jiraiya etc., he took far more serious. It was subtle but certainly there. Which is why he had ignored the boy's comment about the Ichibi.

Danzo had no doubts that Naruto was absolutely capable of handling Suna's Jinchuuriki. Killing him or detaining him, it did not matter.

Naruto was able to fulfill the task that was required of him and Danzo truly believed this.

Which is why the boy was going to deal with Rasa's son by himself. If he could not handle this task, then Naruto was unworthy of the praise that Danzo gave to him.

He'd never say it to the boy and he'd certainly die with this knowledge, but he was proud of how Naruto turned out. And it was all thanks to Hiruzen.

His proposition in training Naruto had been objected _multiple_ times by his old rival. It wasn't until Naruto himself showed interest in the Shinobi arts did Danzo finally get his wish.

He was monitored on a ridiculous scale and grilled for hours on end due to the way he handled the boy's training but it was certainly worth it in the end.

Naruto was a Shinobi that Danzo was proud of. A Shinobi who would do what was absolutely necessary to protect their home and wouldn't think twice about doing so.

His personality wouldn't allude to this but Danzo saw more than Hiruzen did. His old rival still saw that same boy who was starved of affection.

Which was absolutely ridiculous.

Naruto did not need validation from anyone. Not even from Danzo himself. He highly doubted that boy even cared for Danzo's opinion.

If Naruto did, then it was likely due to gratitude or respect.

Naruto was going to be the Sword and Shield of Konoha. Danzo had made absolutely sure of this.

A pain filled grunt resounded throughout the hall before Fu's body was rocketed towards one of the adjacent walls. The man indented into the wall, causing several large fissures to emanate from the epicenter of his impact.

Not a second later did Torune follow in the man's footsteps. The Aburame crashed directly into his fellow Root member and caused both men to go _through _the wall. Wood, cement and dust slowly rose from the area that the two men crashed into.

Danzo merely glanced at the area before shifting his attention towards Naruto who had his arms crossed with what appeared to be an annoyed expression.

"Say that shit again and I'll break your spines!" He yelled towards the Root members.

The elderly Shinobi just sighed tiredly before slowly shaking his head.

Annoying boy.

**AN: WeeeWooooWeeeWooooWeeWooo**


	3. Politics, Blood and Death! Oh My!

**AN: Shut up. I update when I want to. Anyway, here's the update!**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Juice WRLD ft. Seezyn - Hide

* * *

"Hmm... The Rasengan is incomplete isn't it?"

Jiraiya turned away from his notepad with a curious eyebrow and spotted Naruto staring at said jutsu with a calculating gaze.

"And how'd you come to this conclusion?" Jiraiya asked curiously since he was actually interested in hearing how the boy had came to this conclusion in such a short amount of time.

Naruto did not answer immediately and only continued to stare at the rotating ball of pure chakra. He pursed his lips for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

Fuck it.

Several things happened in that split moment.

The first was the immense amount of Futon Chakra that Naruto produced to coalesce around his Rasengan.

The second thing to happen was the destabilization of said Rasengan due to the copious amount of unregulated Futon Chakra that suddenly engulfed it.

The third thing that happened was the _spectacular_ explosion that engulfed almost a third of the entire training grounds that Naruto and Jiraiya resided in.

A catastrophic, yet _highly_ amusing sight for Jiraiya who watched the clouds of dust and smoke slowly disperse with a tiny smirk.

"Learn your lesson?" The Toad Sage jibed amusingly.

Several seconds passed by in silence before a large gust of wind blew through the training grounds. Once the wind settled down it revealed an annoyed looking Naruto who was relatively fine save for the minor tears to his outfit.

"Well..." He began slowly as he dusted off his slightly ruined shirt. "That was expected and yet not at the same time."

Naruto sighed quietly before shaking his head and walking towards his amused mentor. The older Shinobi was quietly laughing at his misfortune while simultaneously scribbling away in his notepad.

If Naruto was a pettier person then he'd absolutely destroy that notepad with a Katon Jutsu.

Jiraiya was a dickhead.

Case closed.

"Coulda warned me sooner, ya know?" He said out loud once he reached the man's position.

Jiraiya laughed quietly once more before turning another page in his notepad and scribbling once again. "Ahh... I could have but the best lessons are learned instead of taught."

Naruto stared at the man for a single second before scoffing loudly. "You sound like a dick."

"A _funny _dick." Jiraiya corrected easily while continuing his task.

Naruto rolled his eyes for a moment before placing his hands in his pockets and leaning against the tree that Jiraiya was seated against.

"I'll assume that's the reason that father failed to incorporate an element into it, yes?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Jiraiya's answer actually surprised him somewhat.

"No, actually." Jiraiya glanced at the redhead before finishing in a simple tone.

"He died."

Naruto didn't know how to respond to that and so he didn't and left it at that. He shifted on the balls of his heels before narrowing his eyes.

"I'll bet the Raikiri was created due to a failed attempt at trying to incorporate Raiton Chakra into the Rasengan."

Jiraiya nodded his head absentmindedly at the assumption. "You'd be correct... Funny how Kakashi became infamous off of failure. Life is interesting, no?" Jiraiya chuckled for a moment before turning towards Naruto and asking a question.

"Did he not tell you that?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders as he closed his eyes. "I mean... I never thought to ask how he made it...?" He answereded back rather lamely.

Jiraiya snorted quietly at that before going back to his writing. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me... You seem to lack quite a bit of interest in others and what they do."

The redheaded teen was silent at that statement, choosing not to comment on how correct that assessment truly was.

Why would he care?

Kakashi made a Jutsu that killed a bunch of people and earned him his moniker.

_Could_ he delve deeper? Sure. But he didn't need to.

He got the bare minimum and that's all that really mattered.

Naruto and Jiraiya remained in comfortable silence for an entire hour before they both perked up at the same exact time. Their heads raising towards the branches above their position, spotting a masked Shinobi who was crouching on the branches.

A Root Shinobi.

An _infamous_ Root Shinobi.

One that brought a small smirk to Naruto's face.

"Shisui Uchiha... What brings you here?" He questioned with a smile.

Jiraiya's eyebrows rose in surprise at the name of the Shinobi before slowly rising to his feet and staring directly at the man.

Shisui Uchiha?

But... How?

Reports from the Uchiha Massacre had led credence that every Uchiha sans Sasuke was exterminated. But...

There was silence for several minutes before the masked Shinobi sighed heavily. Jiraiya noted that the man seemed almost... annoyed.

"Naruto... _Codenames_... We have them for a reason." The man disappeared in a shunshin and appeared directly in front of Jiraiya and Naruto.

Yep... Definitely Shisui.

Jiraiya didn't know a single soul in the Elemental Nations that could move _that_ fast with a Shunshin. He hadn't been able to even track him.

Naruto smirked before waving his hand lazily. "Yeah yeah yeah... You sound like Itachi now."

The Root Shinobi immediately took his mask off to reveal a rather youthful face. Shaggy, unkempt black hair with a pair of distinct eyelashes was revealed. The truly unique feature about the man was his heterochromatic eyes.

An ebony orb in his left socket and a chocolate brown in his right socket. He also sported a similar scar to Naruto and Kakashi. One that ran from his forehead down to his cheek.

But it was clear to Jiraiya that the man had ended up like Kakashi instead of Naruto. That was definitely a replacement eye... Which meant that Shisui had lost one of his Sharingans.

"How... are you even alive? The report I heard and _seen_ stated that you had died at the hands of Itachi Uchiha."

The man, who was _certainly_ Shisui Uchiha, glanced towards Jiraiya before offering him a small smile. He bowed exaggeratedly before replying in an amused tone.

"I _did_ die." He stated simply. At the annoyed look that Jiraiya sent him he chuckled quietly. "Long story short, Itachi got the jump on me."

Shisui's demeanor changed almost immediately. His entire being just seemed to flip, almost as if a switch had been flicked.

"Next time we meet... I'm killing him."

Jiraiya would have shuddered had he not been a veteran Shinobi. Shisui didn't necessarily strike him as a Shinobi that was vengeful or dark.

The Shunshin master was certainly dangerous, there was no doubt about that. The teen had become the youngest S-Rank Shinobi, only being beaten a couple years later when Itachi committed the genocide of the Uchihas.

But Jiraiya was not stupid. Pride and arrogance was beneath those who had reached the title of S-Rank.

"Relax Shisui... You'll get your chance eventually." Naruto assured the man calmly. "What're you doing here anyway?"

Shisui's demeanor changed once again, shifting into his usual persona. "Danzo has a mission for us. Says it's a _doozy_."

"I doubt Sensei said 'doozy'. I don't even think he knows what that means." Naruto stated with an amused smile.

Before Shisui could reply he was beaten by Jiraiya. "Are we just going to ignore the fact that I'm aware of what is no doubt a S-Rank secret?" He stared at the two Shinobi with disbelieving eyes as they waved him off.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders before replying easily. "You're an OG, I'm sure you know how to keep a secret... well, _secret_. If you didn't, you wouldn't be here now would you?" He questioned rhetorically with a raised eyebrow.

Jiraiya couldn't really refute that. He knew _alot_ of secrets about Konoha that would never see the light of day. Due to his unique circumstance as a spy and personal informant for the Hokage... Well, do the math.

"All you need to know was that I 'died' and keep what you learned today a secret. It'd be a shame if we only had one Sannin in the village again, eh Jiraiya-sama?" Shisui not to subtly threatened.

What a day... To be tried by a man literally _half_ his age. But Jiraiya wasn't actually sure if he could compete with Shisui. The boy had been a prospect for the position of Hokage at just 14 years old. His skill and power must have only increased since then...

"If you're wondering if you could beat me then the answer is no... These aren't _my_ eyes." The Shunshin master cryptically informed Jiraiya. At Jiraiya's confused expression he turned towards Naruto before gesturing with his head. "C'mon... I'll debrief you on the way to the HQ." Shisui placed his mask back on his face before disappearing in a Shunshin.

Naruto turned towards Jiraiya before offering a simple nod and disappearing in a Shunshin like his fellow Root comrade.

It didn't take long for Naruto to reach Shisui's position. Once he caught up the two Shinobi began to tree hop at a rather sedate pace through the many trees in the Village.

After several minutes of silence Naruto turned to his comrade and spoke. "So... Why am I getting a mission when the Chunin Exams are set to start in two weeks time?"

Shisui touched down on a tree branch before hopping and replying to his fellow Root member in a rather serious tone. "Apparently it's pretty important... Danzo thinks so atleast."

Naruto was silent for a moment as he hopped over several branches before speaking once more. "It must be... Considering the fact that the Chunin Exams are right around the corner. I'll assume Hokage-sama knows about this...?" He questioned unsurely.

Shisui shrugged his shoulders unknowingly. "I'm not actually sure to be honest..." At Naruto's slightly bewildered expression he continued. "Yeah... _That_ serious."

Naruto shook his head with a sigh as he hopped over another set of branches. "Taking a risk with this one."

The masked Uchiha did not reply but he did nod his head at the statement.

"Where are we going then? Major village?" Naruto questioned curiously.

Shisui shook his head as he replied. "Yugakure..."

The Uzumaki teen furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before replying. "Yugakure? The _tourist_ village...? The hell?"

Shisui shrugged his shoulders as he continued to idly hop through the branches. "I was only told the basics. We'll learn more when Danzo debriefs us."

**Break**

"You mean to tell me that you want to send not only _one_ Hokage prospect, but _two_ of them on a mission that will no doubt be considered S-Rank due to the circumstances that now surround the location?"

Danzo peered open his only functional eye before answering Hiruzen's question rather bluntly.

"That is correct."

The Sandaime Hokage just stared at his old rival with a blank gaze for what felt like an entire hour, which in reality was only 3 minutes.

"I'd ask 'why?' but I am now starting to question your mental state." Hiruzen leaned back in his chair before staring directly into Danzo's visible eye. "I need explanations. _Now_."

Danzo, unaffected by the man's piercing stare, answered in that same blunt tone. "Because Naruto and Shisui are the only individuals I can trust with this mission. Their knowledge on the area, the information that surrounds it, and their unique skill set makes them the perfect candidates."

Hiruzen's gaze remained the same and the only thing that changed was that his left eye brow was now raised.

Well, that was better atleast. He was now atleast _considering_ it. Danzo could work with this.

"If you believe that Maito Gai and Kurenai are suitable replacements for Naruto and Shisui then _I_ should be the one questioning _your_ mental state Hiruzen." Danzo bulldozed ahead regardless of the consequences. "Shisui and Naruto are _the_ most skilled Shinobi this village has to offer besides Kakashi, who is not available at this time."

Hiruzen pursed his lips for a moment and began to lightly tap his index finger against the table. "And Jiraiya and Tsunade could not accomplish this task?" He questioned offhandedly.

"You wish to send our reconnaissance expert and combat medic on a mission that revolves around infiltration and extermination?" Danzo questioned rhetorically. "Tsunade and Jiraiya are not suited for this peculiar mission."

Hiruzen gestured with his index finger as he spoke. "You're using that word again... What makes _this_ mission any different from a normal infiltration/extermination contract?"

Good... He was willing to listen now.

Danzo nodded his head and shifted his cane in his hand. "I'm sure you're familiar with Yugakure, yes?"

"A former Shinobi village turned Tourist hotspot. You have different knowledge?" Hiruzen questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Correct." Danzo nodded. "Yugakure sits on the border to the Valley of Hell. An inhabitable area of land filled with sulphur and other toxic gasses. The Chinoike Clan was recently massacred, down to the very last child. My informant has gone dark but had been sending rather... _troubling_ information prior to his abrupt disappearance."

Hiruzen rose a curious eyebrow at the exact wording of his old rival. Troubling information...?

Well, now it was getting interesting.

Hiruzen gestured with his hand for the man to continue who did so immediately.

"Unexplained disappearances, shady individuals appearing garbed in ritualistic robes, funds disappearing, trade being denied and or never reaching it's destination..." Danzo shifted his cane before sitting up in his chair. "Three months. Three months was all it took for the village to drown. My informant disappeared shortly after... The man was a Jonin."

Hiruzen sat quietly as he began to pick apart the information that Danzo had supplied. He sat still for several minutes, idly tapping his fingers against his mahogany desk.

"There is something else..." Hiruzen said quietly. At Danzo's silence, he continued. "What is it?"

The bandaged War hawk was silent for several moments before shifting his cane once more and asking a very peculiar question.

"Tell me Hiruzen, how familiar are you with the Cult of Jashin?"

**Break**

"Sensei! The hell are we doing in Yugakure?"

Danzo merely ignored his annoying student as he slowly meandered his way to his seat in his office. He glanced at his two subordinates for a moment before slowly taking his seat and resting his cane against his desk.

"Gonna answer the question now?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No." Danzo replied simply.

The redheaded teen stared at his mentor for several moments before about facing and making his way out. He was prevented from leaving the office due to Shisui's hand grasping the back of his shirt.

"C'mon now, Naruto-kun!" He exclaimed exuberantly without his mask on. He pulled the boy back to his original position before wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "It's muy importante."

Naruto turned towards Shisui with a confused expression before speaking. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing." He replied back almost immediately.

Before their antics could continue Danzo decided to intervene. "Settle down." He ordered simply.

At his words the two Shinobi separated from each other and stood at attention with their hands interlocking behind their backs. Their feet spread shoulder length apart and their gaze focused directly on him.

Ahh... The joy of commanding Shinobi who were no doubt stronger than you...

It was a good feeling.

Not that Danzo would ever admit it though.

He had far to much pride for that.

"I have reason to believe that Yugakure is now under the control of the Cult of Jashin." Danzo gripped his cane before tapping it against the floor. "This is where you two come in. Infiltrate the village, confirm and exterminate. _By any means necessary_."

The two Shinobi steeled themselves at the order before nodding their heads.

Danzo tapped his cane against the floor once more before speaking. "You have free reign over this mission Naruto. There is no margin for failure here. The Cult of Jashin is a cancer that must be purged. It cannot be allowed to spread."

The elderly man slowly rose to his feet before pinning his two underlings with a piercing gaze. "Exercise caution when absolutely needed and eliminate any stragglers regardless of affiliation. No survivors. Hokage-sama's approval. You leave at dusk. Dismissed." The two Root members immediately disappeared after Danzo's orders.

**Break**

Naruto stripped himself of his shirt before grabbing the blank tank top provided to all Root members. He slipped the cloth over his torso before bending over to grab the armor plate that went over the tank top. He strapped the armor to his torso and made sure to fasten each clip on the armor piece.

_Your emotions do not exist._

He slipped his pants and sash off before dawning a pair of black pants. He clicked the utility belt around his waist and began to check each of the pockets making sure all of his equipment was where it needed to be. He grabbed his Tanto before twirling the weapon and strapping it to his utility belt.

_They will hold you back._

Naruto lowered his bottom to the wooden bench behind him and kicked his boots off his feet. He slipped his feet into the familiar open toed sandals of his Root uniform.

_The mission comes first._

The redheaded teen slowly rose to his feet before turning his head towards his personal locker. In the metal confines was a mirror that was plastered on the back wall of the locker. He stared directly at his reflection and took note of the lack of emotion on his face.

_Accomplish your task at any means necessary._

The violet eyed teen stared at his reflection for several seconds before shifting his gaze to the mask that hung on one of the spare hooks within the locker. He grabbed the blank Root mask before turning it over and staring at the plain 'face' of the mask.

_You are a tool to be used by the village._

Naruto said nothing and slowly slipped the porcelain material onto his face. The mask easily clung to the teen's face as if it were his own face. He slowly turned his head towards the mirror of the locker and proceeded to stare at his reflection.

"_You are... Root._"

**Break**

"There are three rules that every medic-nin in Konoha _must_ abide by. They were created, by yours truly, to reduce fatalities, improve efficiency and win wars."

A beautiful and voluptuous woman lectured out loudly to a room full of Shinobi. Each Shinobi in the room ranged from Green Genin to Veteran Jonin.

The woman had long tresses of blond hair styled into two braided pigtails that framed her rather youthful face. She possessed a green diamond that rested on the center of her forehead and wore a gray kimono blouse with a green haori jacket over it.

Tsunade Senju turned towards the Shinobi in the room before raising her right hand and sounding off each rule.

"1. No medic ninja shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their party members have come to an end.

2\. No medic ninja shall ever stand on the front lines.

3\. No medic ninja shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon."

Her beautiful face hardened exponentially as she paused for a moment to let the rules set in. "Failure to follow these simple instructions will net you a quick trip to Konoha's cemetery from _yours truly_."

She proceeded to cross her arms over her generous bust while maintaining her hardened visage. "When you choose to save the lives of your fellow comrades you forfeit your own lives. I don't and _won't_ teach those who cannot put others before themselves. If you have an issue with this, then leave. I have little patience to begin with and I've lost enough important people in my life... I don't need my conscious being weighed down due to your incompetence."

When she was met with silence the busty woman nodded her head before uncrossing her arms and moving closer to her desk. She proceeded to flip through several pages of her personal journal and was about to speak before the door to her room was opened.

In the doorway of the classroom was a redheaded teen who was garbed in the standard outfit fit for Konoha's most elite Shinobi. The only exception to this outfit being the blank white mask instead of the animal themed ones that the ANBU usually wore.

Tsunade sported a confused frown as she stared at her nephew who stood motionless in the doorway of her classroom. Her eyes traveled towards her students before she cleared her throat gaining their attention.

"Class dismissed. I have business to attend to."

Naruto moved out of the doorway towards Tsunade's position and watched as each Shinobi filed out of the room. A minute or so passed by before the two of them were left alone in the room.

Tsunade crossed her arms against her chest before standing in front of her desk and leaning back against it. "Why are you wearing your uniform? Didn't Sensei pull you out of Root?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders before responding to her. "Got a mission. An important one too. The Old Man approved it."

The beautiful woman scrunched her face up in annoyance before retorting. "There's two weeks before the Finals... Isn't this cutting it close?"

"He's sending Karasu and I to Yugakure." He informed lightly.

Tsunade went silent for several moments before her honey brown eyes rose towards the ceiling, spotting the aforementioned man hanging upside down on the ceiling.

"Get off the ceiling... Ya little shit."

Shisui allowed his feet to detach from the ceiling and he slowly fell to the ground, performing a lazy flip to land on his feet.

"Hello Tsunade-sama! _Beautiful_ as ever!" He replied in an enthusiastic manner.

Tsunade ignored his compliment with a roll of her eyes before speaking. "Did you two need something before leaving?"

The Uchiha placed his hand over his gray armor plate and gasped in an exaggerated manner. "We can't stop by and visit our favorite mother before leaving on an important mission anymore?!"

"No." Their "mother" replied almost instantly in a rather flat tone expressing how little she cared about the question.

Naruto sighed in annoyance before speaking aloud. "Ignore this idiot." He proceeded to ignore Shisui's indignant huff and continued speaking to Tsunade. "Do you still have that experimental Chakra Pill?"

A small frown formed on the woman's face as she stared at the boy. "Naruto." She warned slowly. "It isn't _ready_ yet."

He shook his head ignoring the stare that Shisui was now giving him. "Then I'll be the one to test it." He replied simply.

Tsunade's face hardened as she stared into the eyeholes of the blank Root mask sitting on Naruto's face. "What part of 'it isn't ready yet' do you not understand?"

"The part about it not being ready yet, clearly." Shisui added in unhelpfully, though there was a chastising tone to his voice instead of his usual jovial one.

"I'll be fine. What's the worst that'll happen? Internal bleeding? Chakra fatigue? I've dealt with worse shit in my life and there's no way I'm gonna get taken out by a fucking _pill_ of all things." The crimson haired teen strode closer to his relative before speaking once more. "Do you trust me, Auntie Tsunade?"

The woman's face shifted multiple times as she struggled with how to answer the boy's question.

Did she trust Naruto? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Did she trust her invention though? Abso-fucking-lutely _not_.

A groan of annoyance left her as she shifted her gaze to the ceiling of the classroom while tapping her foot against the floor anxiously.

Why did her nephew have to be such a little asshole?

Fucking stupid red haired little shit...

"Here!" She proceeded to reach into the valley of her breasts before pulling out a tiny bag. She held the baggy just out of reach while staring directly into Naruto's violet orbs.

"Exhaust your Chakra as much as you can and then _and only then_... Take the pill." She placed the bag into Naruto's open palm and retracted her hand away while turning towards Shisui.

"Make sure this _little shit_ makes it back here. Because if he doesn't..." She didn't finish the warning but Shisui nodded his head in affirmation all the same.

The woman blinked owlishly as she felt two arms encircle around her form. Her honey brown eyes lowered to the head of spikey red hair that was resting against her ample chest.

She blinked several times before a gentle look formed in her eyes. She returned the boy's hug while gently squeezing him to make sure she got her point across.

The two cousins separated without another word while Shisui silently watched on, understanding the relationship the two shared.

Naruto nodded his head towards Tsunade before turning towards Shisui and making a gesture with his head. The Uchiha returned the gesture before disappearing in a shunshin.

Naruto turned back towards Tsunade who was staring at him with a light frown. An unseen smile formed on his face as he raised his hand towards his mask while offering a two fingered salute.

"I promise I'll be back, Obaa-chan!"

He disappeared soon after leaving Tsunade alone in the room. The woman clenched her left fist anxiously while grabbing her necklace and rolling the green jewel between her fingers with her other hand. Her eyes fell to Hashirama's old necklace as she nervously bit her lip.

_"Why do I feel like something bad is going to happen?" _

* * *

"Hah... Hah...! Send... more!"

A small frown formed on Gaara's face as he stared at his sister who was absolutely caked with sweat, dirt and particles of sand. His teal eyes roamed along her bruised and beaten body and he began to slowly withdraw his sand back into his gourd.

"We're done." He replied back in a rather dry tone.

A fierce expression managed to form on Temari's face despite her exhaustion. "Why?!"

Gaara glanced towards her before crossing his arms and shifting his body away from her. "Because I said so."

The sandy blonde Kunoichi grit her teeth angrily before screaming at her beloved little brother. "I SAID SEND MORE!"

Gaara's Chakra proceeded to slam down into the area, instantly erasing Temari's anger. He slowly turned his head towards her position and stared directly into her eyes.

"_We are done_."

Temari swallowed the bile that was slowly creeping it's way up her throat. Gaara rarely, if ever, bore his Chakra down on her. Only doing so when she was completely out of line or acting like a child.

Which meant... she was either pushing herself far too far or acting like a child.

Her eyes fell to the sand beneath as she slowly fell to her knees while huffing tiredly. Her vision blurred for a moment as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

Was she really going overboard with this?

She just wanted to get stronger...

Why?

To beat that smug smile off of Naruto Uzumaki's face of course... Kind of.

Or did she want to impress someone who vastly superior to her while also making sure to atleast land a few blows? Absolutely.

Temari sighed quietly as her fingers clinched around the metal grip of her battle fan. She dipped her head in front of her before spitting onto the sand beneath her.

"Has father told you your role in the upcoming invasion?"

Temari's head rose slowly as she stared into the eyes of her little brother. Her eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion before she shook her head negatively.

"Uzumaki is like me." He said blankly.

The Kunoichi blinked at the statement before pursing her lips. She already knew this information and it wouldn't surprise her if Gaara knew it as well. Afterall, he was a Jinchuuriki too.

"Father knows of this as well."

Now _that_ surprised Temari. How did father know about that? Konoha was incredibly tight lipped about their secrets. It wasn't like the Sandaime and her father got along enough for Rasa to receive this information.

"And...?" She questioned quietly while staring into Gaara's eyes. "What does that have to do with me?"

The redheaded Jinchuuriki continued to stare at Temari for several moments before turning his head and speaking with a surprising amount of anger in his tone.

"If the invasion fails and we are at the mercy of Konoha... You are a peace brokering tool..." Temari's eyes widened and before she could speak Gaara continued. "Father believes that Uzumaki shares a great resemblance to a rather infamous Shinobi in Konoha. If this information turns out to be true then he will use you ahead of time and we will call off the invasion, if not..."

Temari sat in the sand silently as her eyes continued to remain on Gaara's back. She wasn't... _surprised_ to know that Rasa would use her as a bargaining chip.

She was strong.

She was his daughter.

She was... _cute_, apparently... (Stupid Uzumaki!)

Temari had expected Rasa to pull something like this and the only thing that truly surprised her was how long it actually took for him to finally make the decision.

The sandy blonde released a heavy sigh before speaking in an annoyed tone that pretty much summarized exactly how she felt about the situation.

"I hate Rasa..."

* * *

"Danzo shared some interesting news with me that I think you'll want to hear."

Naruto glanced towards his friend with an unseen raised eyebrow. "How interesting we talking?"

Shisui stared at the teen for a few moments before turning his head towards the moon that was reaching its apex in the darkened sky.

"We're electing a new Hokage after the Chunin Exams."

Naruto was silent for an entire minute before tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean by 'we're electing a new Hokage'? Is the Old Man _not_ choosing a successor?"

The Uchiha shook his head while simultaneously retrieving his tanto from its sheathe. He reached into one of his utility pouches and pulled out a whetstone and began to slowly sharpen his blade.

"You're out of the loop, Naruto-kun." He began in a teasing manner. "If a Hidden Village's Shinobi populace grow tired of their current leadership then they are allowed to delegate who they believe is best suited to lead their home." He flipped his sword over before repeating the process.

"Obviously it's more complex and complicated than that but considering you and I aren't normal Shinobi..." He rose his masked face to Naruto before continuing. "Just know that the Shinobi in Konoha have grown tired with how Hiruzen has been handling the Cold War with Sunagakure."

Naruto sat quiet for a few moments before gesturing with his hand. "Sunagakure has been bleeding for years. What is there that we have to truly worry about?"

The masked Uchiha chuckled quietly as he shook his head. "Do you not keep up with the politics of the Elemental Nations?"

Naruto scoffed loudly before leaning his back against the tree he was sat on. "I know my place in this world and it's certainly _not_ dealing with politics. I'm a killer. A pretty efficient one at that."

Well, he wasn't wrong Shisui supposed. Naruto's answer didn't really surprise him all that much.

The Uchiha sighed quietly before gently running one of his fingers along the sharpened metal of his blade.

"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have finally reached an agreement with one another after their falling out during the Third Shinobi War." Shisui proceeded to sheathe his blade and leaned against his own tree. "If you haven't noticed already, we have no Major Village as an ally. Sunagakure's trade alliance means nothing considering we've been stealing their business."

"Wait wait wait." Naruto spoke in confusion. "What do you mean we've been stealing their business? Isn't their Daimyo the one outsourcing contracts to Konoha?"

Shisui shook his head with a small sigh. "If that were the case then why is Hiruzen not seeking relations with Rasa? Don't get me wrong when I say this but... Hiruzen's ideals and beliefs hold the village back."

That particular statement from _Shisui_ of all people truly surprised Naruto. Shisui was a fanatic to Konoha, like many other Konoha Shinobi. It wasn't a bad thing or anything like that but Shisui had been a firm believer in Hiruzen's ideals.

"That's honestly surprising coming from you." Naruto stated quietly.

"Don't read to much into it. I'm not saying Danzo would be a better leader but there needs to be a good mix of ideals and force. Someone like... Tsunade would be perfect." Shisui offered knowingly.

"There's no way in _hell_ that Auntie Tsunade would ever pick the hat up." Naruto denied near instantaneously.

Shisui chuckled quietly as he leaned his head against the tree. "You do know that Tsunade resents Hiruzen, right?" At Naruto's silence the Uchiha continued. "She blames Hiruzen for Dan's death after all. He had sent the man into a losing battle to stall for time. Dan and his platoon were ill prepared to fight off the invading Kumo force. He died for relatively no reason, if I'm being honest." He shrugged lightly afterwards.

"Tsunade has resented him ever since. The only reason she even came back to Konoha was because of Kushina. Danzo sent for her return because Hiruzen believed she was grieving. While yes, she was mourning Dan, she left more so to get away from Hiruzen than grieve for her late lover."

Naruto sat completely silent for a few minutes before asking what was on his mind. "How do you even know all this?"

Shisui shrugged his shoulders before crossing his hands and placing them behind his head, making himself comfortable.

"I know alot of things that I shouldn't but let's just keep it at that, eh?"

Naruto stared at his friend for a few moments before shaking his head quietly. "How will this vote work anyway?"

"Someone, most likely Danzo, will propose a change in leadership during the next Shinobi Council meeting. When this happens, every clan head will vote for or against the idea. If the idea is denied then Hiruzen remains the Hokage. If it's approved, then we move forward and candidates are proposed."

A heavy sigh came from Shisui as he continued. "Here's where it gets tricky. There has to be a 7:10 ratio on the candidate alone. A 70% approval rating between the Clan Heads is already rough enough. We have 11 clans in Konoha. From the last remaining Senju and Uzumaki and to even the Uchiha and the other minor clans like the Hatake and Kurama."

"Which means that atleast _eight _of those leaders need to vote on the _same _candidate. When _that_ happens, the information is then passed down to the Clan Shinobi first. There only needs to be a 60% approval rating for the candidate this time around. When _that_ process is finished, then all of the non-clan Shinobi get to vote for their leader. And as you already know, the general Shinobi populace outnumber the clan Shinobi 5:1.

"The final vote only needs Majority vote. 51% and we have our new Hokage. It's a very time consuming process that will probably span around three or so months."

Naruto whistled quietly as he processed the information. "Sounds overly complicated to be honest. I'm gonna have to sit in for the Uzumaki vote aren't I?"

Shisui shook his head as he answered. "_Technically_ Tsunade is both the Senju and Uzumaki clan head but I don't see why she _wouldn't_ allow you to take the vote. You aren't allowed to take the seat of Uzumaki Clan Head until you're 16 or until Tsunade becomes the Hokage. She'll forfeit her rights as the Uzumaki and Senju Clan Head."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the phrasing Shisui used for Tsunade becoming the Hokage. "You're awfully confident in Tsunade's ability to win over the village."

Shisui shook his head with a soft sigh. "The Shinobi have no problems with Tsunade being the leader. No one doubts her strength or anything like that but the Shinobi populace has been growing anxious the last few years. The Uchiha incident on top of the growing Cold War are only making Hiruzen's image worse.

"The civilians have also been voicing their concerns over Hiruzen's health and while the civilians are usually shut out of conversations like this, they aren't necessarily wrong. Hiruzen is getting old and while he's still incredibly formidable and a force to be reckoned with, he isn't as indomitable as he used to be. Kumo and Iwa's alliance on top of Suna's growing displeasure is troubling..."

Naruto frowned beneath his mask as he took in all the information being laid out in front of him. Shisui was making alot of good points...

The Old Man _was _getting older and it'd only be a matter of time before tensions rose to a degree that couldn't be handled. While Naruto had no doubts that Hiruzen could hold his own against his fellow Kages, it was better to err on the side of caution.

"You think a war is coming?" Naruto questioned seriously.

Shisui grimaced at the question before tilting his head. "I don't _think_ a war is coming... I _know_ it's coming. It's just a matter of when."

* * *

"You sprinkle your words with carefully constructed lies in order to gain favor with me."

Vile, serpent-like eyes gazed at the individual speaking to them with sick intent. Staring at the man and his allies as if they were prey.

"Kukukuku! Surely you can forgive an old _snake_ like myself, Rasa. All I ask for is your cooperation during the finals. Is that really so bad?"

Rasa, the Yondaime Kazekage, glared at the physical embodiment of sin itself with contempt. His index finger curled for a brief moment as he contemplated whether or not he should crush the serpentine man with his Gold Dust.

"Sunagakure needs no help, especially not from a man who failed to kill someone 30 years past their prime." Rasa's indifferent gaze bore into Orochimaru as he continued speaking. "You have nothing to offer Sunagakure in exchange for our aid and I trust no snake."

Despite the prick of of annoyance that plucked at Orochimaru's heart due to Rasa's words he waved them off easily enough.

"Kukukuku, Rasa-kun!" He began in a patronizing tone. "I have much to offer you. Surely a deal can be struck."

The Yondaime stared into Orochimaru's eyes for a brief moment before the entire room flooded with gold dust. A tsunami of golden dust barreled through the room, destroying various pieces of furniture and engulfing the entire room. The Snake Sannin grinned at the man's action before allowing the Kazekage's dust to bowl over him.

Rasa's arms slowly lifted in the air before the golden dust exploded out of the building, crushing it and causing debris to fling out into the village.

A few moments passed by in silence as Rasa slowly walked out of the now destroyed building with an annoyed visage. The surrounding area became swarmed with Suna Shinobi as Rasa spoke aloud.

"Orochimaru escaped... Search the village." He ordered sternly.

The groups of Shinobi immediately began to vacate the area after their orders and began their hunt for the snake Sannin. When they all disappeared a small frown tugged at Rasa's face.

Orochimaru wasn't a man to be trusted. To do so was a foolish endeavor. Trusting a snake like Orochimaru would only get you eaten.

* * *

Three days had passed by relatively slowly in Naruto's humble opinion. He and Shisui would talk about mundane things once the sun would start going down and then would take turns on who got to be the lookout.

Upon reaching the borders of Yugakure is where things got a little... weird.

Yugakure was by no means a huge country that sported lush forests and beautiful streams and creeks but it usually possessed the same weather that Iwa had.

Humid to the point of being just barely tolerable with the sun rarely _not_ shining brightly. It rarely rained in Yugakure, making it an easy location for individuals who just wanted to wind down and relax by a pool or go to a spa.

But the sun was no where to be found as it was drowned out by large, black clouds that rumbled loudly. The ever looming threat of a giant storm was just sitting on the edge of what appeared to be a tropical storm. The rain was light right now but it was certainly going to ramp up soon.

Naruto turned towards Shisui with a light frown as he stood on a tree overlooking the entrance to the village. "Visibility is going to be incredibly low soon... The rain is light right now but by the sound of the thunder it's going to be a nasty storm."

Shisui stood next to his defacto leader as he stared out into the village with his Sharingan activated. "Something isn't right..." When Naruto glanced towards him he continued quietly. "There's a barrier of some sort preventing my Sharingan from piercing through. It's like a thick fog if I had to explain it..."

Well, that was troubling in itself. It seemed Danzo was right to believe that the Jashin Cult was a priority.

Naruto narrowed his eyes before making a gesture with his hand and disappeared in a shunshin with Shisui following shortly after. The two men appeared closer to the village as Naruto spoke aloud.

"Where exactly does this barrier start?"

Shisui took a couple of steps forward before stopping and crouching. He placed his gloved hands on the ground, just in front of the barrier. "An inch forward is where it starts."

A small frown tugged at the Uzumaki's face before he began to rub his index, middle and thumb together. A spark of electricity emitted from his fingers before he placed them on the barrier's outline.

A visible dome of Chakra seemed to light up, briefly illuminating the barrier. Naruto pulled his fingers back with a small frown before slowly rising to his feet.

"It's meant to cut out visibility from the outside world. It's pretty unique... A technique like this is pretty rare to find nowadays and only accessible to a handful of individuals. Whoever created this barrier must have extensive knowledge on seals."

Shisui slowly rose from his crouched position before speaking. "Well, I'm not the expert on Fuinjutsu. So good luck."

Naruto waved him off before gesturing with his head and walking through said barrier completely disappearing from Shisui's line of sight.

Shisui followed shortly after and the sight that followed was relatively grizzly. Dozens of bodies were either strewn out on the roads or piled up together.

The stench of blood was thick in the air even through the rainy weather. The crimson liquid pooled heavily around the piles of bodies and ritualistic symbols painted in the substance covered the walls of houses and establishments.

"Well, this isn't creepy and disturbing." Shisui sardonically said aloud.

Naruto ignored his friend's comment and began to walk towards one of the piles of bodies and a small frown appeared on his face as he examined the bodies he could see. "They were all killed the same... A stab through the heart. Ritualistic manner... Though, some of the other piles aren't like this."

Shisui glanced around at some of the bodies on the floor, noticing different kills that didn't mimick the pile that Naruto was examining.

"Some of these people were decapitated and others were practically _ripped_ apart. Sounds alot like the Jashin Cult to me." He said quietly.

"Can you sense anything?" Naruto proposed quietly.

"Nothing." Shisui replied while crouching next to a child's corpse. It was a little girl, that much Shisui could make out.

Her face was completely ripped off and her body was covered in lacerations. Her chest cavity was caved in and on full display with her heart missing. Her ribs were snapped and broken and her legs had been cut off at the knee.

Shisui continued to stare at the corpse before shaking his head and slowly rising to his feet. He couldn't mourn the loss of life here until this mission was done.

"I don't sense any form of life here that isn't yours. Everything's dead." Shisui turned towards Naruto who was staring at a symbol on one of the establishments. He strode towards the boy before staring at it as well.

"What's the point?" The crimson haired teen asked aloud.

Shisui rose one of his eyebrows before gesturing with his hand. "Does there even _need _to be a point? The Jashin Cult profits off of death and brutality. Sacrificing people to appease their Blood God and to become 'immortal'. That's what I've learned atleast."

Naruto and Shisui were silent as they stared at the symbol before a feeling of danger pricked at their sixth sense. Both men immediately disappeared in a burst of speed as a large weapon cleaved through the air, slicing through their previous position.

Naruto and Shisui appeared on one of the rooftops as they located the individual that had attacked them.

"I missed..." The hooded man spoke aloud as his head swept through the area, searching for the two people that had invaded their ritual. "Where are youuuuuu? I just wish to speak!"

Naruto frowned lightly as the man seemed to reach _into_ his body, the squelching noise of flesh being dug into was heard before the man procured a giant scythe from... somewhere? Likely his body... somehow.

The Uchiha glanced towards his partner before crouching low and slowly unsheathing his blade. He made a gesture with his left before nodding and disappearing in a shunshin.

Before the man could react his head was decapitated, slowly falling to the floor and bouncing off the wet gravel.

Shisui watched the body slowly sway before he was forced to block an attack from the man's walking corpse. The man's scythe sliced through the air before clashing with Shisui's tanto, causing hundreds of sparks to illuminate from the action.

Shisui's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the decapitated body that was still moving despite not having a head. Blood spurted from the neck, showing that the man's heartbeat was still active.

The masked Uchiha twisted his blade hooking it on the underside of the scythe and with a show of surprising strength, he flipped the man's body using his own weapon against him. The hooded man was airborne for a single second before his back cratered the wet ground.

Shisui's blade disentangled from the man's scythe before penetrating through the man's chest, spearing him directly on the ground. Shisui performed a single handseal before a white hot fire spewed from his mouth dowsing the man in flames.

Five seconds passed by before Shisui abruptly ended his jutsu. His Sharingan examined the ash that belonged to the man before hearing the man speak from directly behind him.

"You think you can kill me?!"

Shisui directed his attention behind him and spotted the man's severed head. He furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance before appearing directly in front of the man with his foot reared back to kick said head.

His sandal clad foot made direct contact with the man's jaw sending the decapitated head towards Naruto's position who lazily caught the improvised ball.

Naruto stared at the man's head for all of two seconds before a glowing white cube appeared around his hand. Inside of the cube was a spherical orb that shone like the sun.

"What is this?!" The man's severed head screamed out angrily. Naruto ignored the man's outburst before letting go of his severed head.

**"Jinton : Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu."**

The floating cube trembled for all but a second before detonating in a beautiful display of atomic erasure. The man's severed head just ceased to exist as the particle destroying jutsu erased the man's existence from the Elemental Nations.

"Haha! That was so fucking _sick_, Naruto!" Shisui's voice sounded out loud from beside Naruto. "I didn't know you could already _use_ it!"

Shisui's enthusiasm brought a small smile to Naruto's face despite the situation. His hand trembled for a few moments before he pocketed it, not allowing Shisui to see the effect the jutsu had on him.

He sighed quietly before responding. "_Use_ is a word... That took alot of concentration and it wasn't even mobile or big. It's tiring to use..."

Shisui was quiet for a moment before nodding his head. "Doesn't mean it isn't cool. Can you imagine the look on Ohnoki's face when he sees the son of his greatest rival using _his own_ _technique_ against him? Haha!"

Naruto doubted that there wasn't a grin on the Uchiha's face. And despite the slight exhaustion that he was feeling, he couldn't help but grin as well.

"That... would be pretty funny."

**AN: Ahhh yes... Jinton Naruto. Beautiful isn't it?**

**Anyway! This is the start of a new Arc that I've decided to experiment with. I'm not going to lie, I'm one of those authors that has like next to zero creative talent when it comes to writing a unique storyline.**

**I usually just rehash the cannon storyline with my own take on the characters and scenarios but I've decided to step out of my comfort zone. I'm going to change alot regarding the Arcs and storyline so if you don't like that, feel free to drop the story** **now.**

**I want this story to stand out from my other ones in terms of the plot and where it goes. I'm changing alot as you can see from this chapter alone.**

**BUT ANYWAY! ****Favorite, Follow and Review ya weirdos!**


	4. A Dreadful Beginning

**AN: Welcome back, little idiots!**

**So, this chapter is going to be _incredibly fucking long_. So strap in and enjoy the ride.****Tons of useless dialogue, reveals, setups, and other miscellaneous shit that you cretins love. (:**

**ALSO! The first scene of this mission has Naruto appearing to be _incredibly_ powerful and such but please, take it with a grain of salt.**

**Yugakure is not a major village nor is it remotely big enough to be considered even a minor village.**

**You will understand what this means shortly. If it's genuinely a problem for you, quit reading the story cus it is what it is. Jinton is fucking broken and has only two weaknesses.**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! Or don't! It be like that.**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : Unravel (Acoustic Version) - TK (Long Tosite Sigure)

* * *

"Ya know..." Naruto spoke in slight exertion. "This _isn't _what I had in mind when I said I wanted to wipe them out at the base!"

The red haired teen spun on his heel while twirling his tanto and plunging it through the skull of a random Jashin member, stunning them. He flicked his wrist before slicing through the man's head diagonally, exposing the man's brain and causing a fountain of blood to spray onto his form.

Naruto grunted quietly before chambering his knee towards his chest and rocketing it forward into the man's chest.

The man's chest caved in from the sheer strength of Naruto's kick and he proceeded to fly several feet away from his position, crashing into several other members along the way.

Naruto's eyes strayed towards his companion who was slicing through several Jashin Members with ease. His form would flicker every few seconds, signifying his use of the Shunshin.

The ebony haired Uchiha plunged his Tanto into the scalp of a woman before flicking a kunai in his hand and decapitating her head with it. Shisui grasped the dirty fabric of her shirt before throwing her at a group of Jashin Members running towards him.

Before her body could make contact with the small group, a giant fireball launched from Shisui's position, incinerating the men and women.

Shisui glanced towards his best friend before replying. "C'mon now Naruto-kun!" He began jubilantly before dodging a random attack from a man behind him. He hooked his foot underneath the man's ankle before kicking outwards, throwing the man off balance. "You can't handle some civies with knives?!"

Shisui's eyes stared directly into the man's eyes, casting him in a Genjutsu. After casting his jutsu Shisui proceeded to cast a point-blank fireball at his feet.

Naruto scoffed in annoyance before spinning around and catching the wrist of a deranged woman who was frothing at the mouth. He snapped the woman's wrist with ease before lifting her over his head and slamming her body against the earth in a surprising display of strength. The teen rose his sandaled clad foot before stomping directly into the woman's head, splattering her brain on the soil.

Ignoring the blood pooling at his feet, Naruto turned towards one of the main buildings of the village that was being used as the main ritual sight for the sacrifices. He stared at the large group of women and men and clicked his teeth in annoyance.

"This is going to take forever, Shisui!"

Naruto side stepped a wild attack from a man to his right before parrying another attack from another man to his left with his tanto. He redirected the blade before gripping the man's wrist and driving the man's weapon into the chest of the first man who had attacked him.

Naruto grunted quietly before jumping in the air and round house kicking the second man away. Both men were sent flying away due to the strength from Naruto's kick. The two men proceeded to crash into one of the various stores in the bazaar, cratering the concrete walls and destroying them.

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki scoffed in annoyance before performing a Shunshin and appearing on one of the various buildings in the surrounding area, disappearing from the sight of the Jashin Members. His amethyst orbs flicked around the area wildly, tracking Shisui's movement with slight difficulty.

Naruto took a slight moment to rest and think about the situation at hand. He and Shisui were absolutely outnumbered. But quantity meant little if those numbers lacked quality.

The Jashin Members were nothing more than civilians wielding weapons. They couldn't use Chakra and were more or less mindless drones. Which was absolutely fine to Naruto. The less work he had to do, the better.

But at this moment, he was regretting it in its entirety.

Naruto's violet eyes glanced down at his _crimson stained_ uniform and he withheld an annoyed sigh. He looked like he had taken a bath in the substance since it covered almost every inch of his body.

_"Why don't we just __attack them at the center? It'll be easy, Naruto. We got this." _Shisui's thoughts manifested in Naruto's mind, souring his already sour mood.

"Fuck you, Shisui." Naruto summarized his thoughts rather eloquently.

"Well, that's not very nice. I didn't do anything."

The crimson haired teen ignored the comment from his best friend, not surprised that the man was now beside him, crouching low and out and sight.

"This is annoying." Naruto replied quietly.

Shisui flicked the blood off his Tanto before glancing towards his best friend. "I don't disagree with that statement. I didn't expect there to be more than 200 members in this village..." He wiped the excess blood off his white mask, smearing the crimson substance along the porcelain material.

The Jinchuuriki sighed in annoyance before glancing towards the darkened sky, ignoring the rain that was pelting his form.

"If I could use the Kyuubi's power then this would already be over." He said in slight agitation.

Shisui peeked his head over the roof, staring at the various unhinged individuals searching for them. "Why can't you?" He questioned quietly.

"The Kyuubi is incredibly picky about the situation in which it will grant me Chakra..." Naruto rubbed his neck for a moment before continuing. "If it doesn't think the situation is dire then I don't get to use its Chakra."

Shisui furrowed his eyebrows before glancing back towards his friend. "And you can't take it by force?"

"First of all, that's rude." Naruto replied in an indignant manner. "And secondly, the Kyuubi has feelings as well... Even if it _does_ deny it every single time. It's not some rampaging beast that's incapable of rationale thought."

The Uchiha was silenced by that particular statement, not actually knowing anything of the Bijuu other then the fact that they were incredibly powerful and dangerous.

"If that's the case... Do you know how it was released from your mother?"

The crimson haired teen ignored the question all together as he slowly strode towards his friend's position. He peeked his head over the roof, assessing the situation at hand and formulating a plan to rid Yugakure of its problem.

That problem being immortal maniacs that sacrificed the lives of anything that moved...

Naruto closed his eyes for several long moments, dipping his head down and thinking.

_"Are you sure that I can't use your Chakra for this one instance, Kyuubi?" _Naruto questioned in his head quietly.

The teen patiently waited for an entire minute before sighing quietly, taking the Kyuubi's silence as a no. But to his surprise the Bijuu spoke.

**"To get rid of a problem... You must cause one..."**

Furrowing his eyebrows, Naruto replied, _"That's pretty cryptic..."_

**"These mortals are nothing more than living, flesh capsules... Ordered to do the bidding of their God... To spread a _hate_ that is far more vile than even my own..." **The Kyuubi paused for a moment, letting its words sink in before continuing. **"The throes of Jashin and its followers are plentiful... _Erase them_."**

The crimson haired teen went silent at the Kyuubi's statement. For an entity who's reputation was based around _hate_ and _anger_... It sure does despise when _others_ take up that role.

**"You grasp for conjectures... I will grant you my power... Use it _wisely_..."**

Naruto's eyes slowly opened, revealing the animalistic orbs of the Kyuubi. His pupils were slit and his previous amethyst orbs were now stained scarlet.

An inhuman amount of Chakra spread throughout his veins, coursing through his body and empowering him.

Naruto glanced down at his hand for a moment, taking note of his elongated nails that now resembled claws. He rotated his neck several times, illiciting several loud cracks.

"I'm going to do something stupid..."

Shisui watched the boy with furrowed brows before being forced to cover his masked visage as the boy launched himself into the air, destroying the rooftop he stood upon. The action caused the rooftop to explode outwards, caving it in and destroying it in its entirety.

Shisui appeared several meters away from the now destroyed building. His eyes were locked onto Naruto's form, wondering just what the boy was going to do from that height.

He had to have been atleast 100 meters in the air by now!

Naruto wasn't going to...

Shisui's eyes widened exponentially from his position before he immediately Shunshin'd out of the village. His form was a blur as he traversed through the buildings, dodging in and out of the alleyways and various objects obstructing his path.

He was outside of the barrier almost instantly and continued to move away from it, not wanting to take any risks if Naruto was doing what he thought he was.

_"He's fucking insane__!"_

It was but one of the many thoughts racing through Shisui's head as he continued to Shunshin away from Yugakure.

A large influx of Chakra slammed into Shisui, bypassing the barrier seal that had previously been keeping Yugakure hidden from the outside world.

Shisui spun on his heel, seeing the barrier began to break away. The large dome-like seal broke away meter by meter, revealing a sight that would forever be etched into his mind.

An _incredibly _giant cube of translucent Chakra rested in the air, blanketing the sky and casting a shadow over the small village of Yugakure. The ginormous cube continued to grow and grow and _grow_...

Shisui's Tanto fell from his grasp as he stared at the particle destroying jutsu being formed by Naruto.

This... this was unreal!

And _so fucking _cool!

* * *

Naruto's teeth gnashed together painfully as he struggled to keep his jutsu from exploding in on itself. The white cube continued to grow as Naruto, with the aid of the Kyuubi's Chakra, funneled Chakra into the highly unstable jutsu.

One of Naruto's vermillion orbs closed tightly as sweat dripped down his face. His chest tightened immensely as the muscles in his arms flexed painfully despite the constant healing he was recieving from the Kyuubi.

He could feel his muscles ripping and tearing with every second that passed by. His tenketsu _burned_ with a passion hotter than hell itself as he pushed every bit of Chakra he could through them.

**"This is all you will receive from me... Do not ask for more..." **

Naruto exhaled harshly at the Kyuubi's tone before closing his eyes.

The pain.

The fatigue.

The burning.

The _power_...

The _control_...

The... _hunger_...

It all seemed to just...

_Disappear__._

**"Jinton : Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!"**

* * *

Shisui's Sharingan spun ferociously as he gazed upon the pure _beauty_ of the Jinton Kekkai Tota at its highest state. The ginormous cube that Naruto formed left his hands and _somehow_ managed to grow even bigger!

The cube, upon reaching the ground, seemed to just phase through the earth, not stopping or being halted in its quest for atomization. The cube halted its progress for all but a moment before...

_It happened__._

The cube of translucent Chakra brightened exponentially, blinding anything that bore witness upon its destruction.

A shockwave of epic proportion spread out from the epicenter of the atom erasing jutsu, nearly uprooting the many trees that surrounded the tourist village.

Shisui's eyes still managed to burn even though they were covered by his hands. He slowly opened his eyes after several seconds and had to refrain from gawking.

There... was nothing!

It just...

"Holy shit..."

After gawking for several long seconds, Shisui's Sharingan managed to catch a glimpse of something, rather _someone_, that was now falling from the sky.

The someone obviously being Naruto.

Shisui moved instantly, his eyes trained on Naruto's form the entire time. He jumped from tree to tree, weaving in out of the lush forest that surrounded the now non-existent village.

The Uchiha jumped off of one of the various branches around him, catching Naruto's body and performing a Shunshin to reach the ground quicker. The two males appeared on the soil less than a second later.

Shisui dropped to a knee before placing his best friend on the earth, noticing the boy was barely conscious and his eyes were rolling.

"Naruto." Shisui probed quietly, his hands glowing green as he tried to assess any injuries the boy may have obtained from his rather ridiculous stunt. A small frown formed on the man's face as he noticed the numerous muscle tears throughout the boy's body.

Naruto would survive but he'd be out of commission for a few days. Shisui had seen the boy recover from _far_ worse during their Root Training.

A ragged exhale left Naruto's throat followed by two words. "T-The... pill..."

Shisui's eyes hardened as he stared at his friend. "I'm not taking that risk, Naruto. I've seen you recover from worse..."

Naruto replied to the man's statement, powering through the pain. "I'll live... Give... me it... An order..."

The Uchiha's face contorted in annoyance as the boy pulled rank on him. What an annoying little...

Shisui curbed that train of thought before digging through one of Naruto's pouches on his utility belt. Finding the small bag that Tsunade had given to the boy, he pulled it out before unwrapping the saran wrap and picking the pill up.

The ebony haired Uchiha stared at the unassuming capsule for several seconds before shaking his head in annoyance. Shisui grasped his friend's chin and as gently as he could, opened his mouth while placing the capsule on his tongue.

Shisui unclipped his canteen of water before placing it against his friend's mouth and tilting it down. After making sure that Naruto swallowed the pill without any trouble, he proceeded to continue his diagnosis on Naruto's injuries.

"Kami, you're so fucking annoying sometimes..." Shisui spoke in a slightly disgruntled tone, his fingers slowly gliding over some of Naruto's tenketsu, taking note of the damages.

"Heh... I t-try."

Shisui did not respond to the teen's words but he did possess a smirk upon his face.

* * *

"Akatsuki, huh?" The gruff voice of a dark skinned man spoke aloud.

"Indeed Ay-sama. Ohnoki has used their services on multiple occasions." A dark skinned woman with white hair replied to her leader.

Ay, the Yondaime Raikage of Kumogakure, stared at at his desk for several seconds before glancing towards his assistant and speaking, seemingly to himself.

"A mercenary group seeking an audience with me..." The muscular man tapped his desk several times before cracking his neck. "Rogue Nin forming an alliance? What stops us from getting rid of them, Mabui?"

The woman named Mabui glanced down at the clipboard she was holding before replying. "They are not just _any_ Rogue Nin, Ay-sama. They are S-Rank Rogues... Atleast _these_ two are."

Mabui took her leader's silence as a sign to continue speaking and so she did. "The two members that wish to speak with you are infamous... Itachi "Kinslayer" Uchiha and Kisame "The Tailless Bijuu" Hoshigaki." Mabui took note of how sharp her leader's eyes became after hearing their names.

Ay was silent for several minutes as he thought about the proposal. His fingers continued to tap against his desk before he abruptly stood up, worrying his assistant.

"I will speak with them face to face. Mabui, order C and Darui to meet me at the front gates!" After saying his peace the man proceeded to crash through the large window of his office, completely disregarding the door to the office.

Mabui stared at her leader's form as he zipped through the village with a twitching eyebrow.

"Every time!" She exclaimed frustratedly.

* * *

"This is a little dull, don't you think Raikage-sama?" The monotonous voice of Darui spoke aloud to his leader.

The Raikage ignored the comment from his underling with practised ease and continued to lead his Shinobi towards the source of the ginormous Chakra presence that rested only a few kilometers away from his village.

"Now isn't the time for your antics, Darui."

The aforementioned man glanced towards his companion before shrugging lackadaisically. "I'm just sayin' C... It's dull."

The man known as C shook his head, choosing not to respond to his comrade. A minute or so passed by before C's eyes hardened.

"They know we're close..."

The Raikage did not seem to care and only continued to walk at his own pace. Ay was far more interested in why the Akatsuki wanted to conduct business with him.

He was aware that Ohnoki had hired the group on multiple occasions for several... _questionable_ contracts but he didn't know the true extent of the group's actions and decisions.

Multiple Rogue Nin performing contracts for Major and Minor Villages...

A truly _interesting_ ordeal.

A few more minutes of walking led the trio of Kumo Shinobi to a rather large clearing. Several large boulders rested in the area with the two Rogue Nin positioned on top of the largest one.

Ay's eyes glanced up towards the rock, spotting the infamous Kiri Nin and the clan slaying Konoha Nin. His ebony eyes stared into Kisame's beady ones with indifference before shifting towards the man's partner.

Unlike Kisame, who was standing on the edge of the boulder with a bloodthirsty grin, Itachi was sitting down. One of his legs dangled off the edge of the rock while his other leg was pulled towards his chest.

The Uchiha seemed completely relaxed... His eyes were closed and his shoulders lacked tension.

Truly, a frightening child he was.

Ay continued his observations of the two Rogue Nin and did not bother speaking. He had no reason to. These two sought _him_ out.

It was Kisame that spoke first.

"Heh... I'm surprised you went out of your way to meet us." The fish man's eyes seemed to hone in directly on Ay as his shark-like grin stretched wider. "Neh, Itachi-san... Do ya think we could take em?"

Ay ignored the reaction of his companions and how they tensed up. These two wouldn't make out alive if they chose to attack.

"Do not cause problems." Itachi replied quietly, still unmoving and keeping his eyes closed. "Leader-sama gave us a job..." The Kinslayer finally opened his eyes, revealing his matured Sharingan as it centered on his partner.

"I have no problem finishing it without you."

Ay's eyebrow rose minutely at the blatant threat. Interesting... Such was the norm for Rogue Nin. They trusted no one and even comrades were up for grabs.

Kisame and Itachi stared at one another for several long seconds before the fish man laughed loudly.

"Hahahaha! _This_ is why I like you, Itachi-san! Heh..." The man raised his sword before resting it against his shoulder and returning his gaze to the Kumo Nin below him. "We've come with a proposition, Raikage."

Disrespect.

Expected from an individual of Kisame's caliber. A brute with little to no morals and an ego the size of his Chakra pool.

Ay ignored the disrespect before staring at Itachi, preferring to speak with a man who possessed some semblance of human decency.

"You." Ay spoke pointedly to Itachi. "Speak."

The Rogue Uchiha said nothing at first and only shifted his position, his right arm now wrapping around his leg while his head rested atop his knee.

"Is it like my partner said. The Akatsuki come with a proposition... A proposition that will surely interest you." Itachi spoke quietly in a respectable tone.

The Raikage motioned with his hand for Itachi to speak, wishing to actually hear said proposition.

If Ohnoki was so willing to hire their services, multiple times at that, then perhaps he should truly listen to them.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "As you are already aware, Konoha is hosting the Chunin Exams in their Village. Bold and arrogant of them..." He opened his eyes before continuing, speaking in an indifferent tone. "I possess crippling information regarding the Village... But that isn't useful here nor is it interesting enough for you."

Itachi shifted his position once more, dropping his leg and letting it hang over the edge of the boulder. "Orochimaru was spotted in the deserts of Sunagakure... Likely retreating after having been rejected by the Kazekage... 'Why should I care?', you ask?"

"Orochimaru has come to the Akatsuki for aid... Aid in causing crippling damage to the ecosystem of Konoha. He proposed an invasion... In most circumstances, he'd have been killed for such an incredulous task..."

Itachi waved his hand flippantly before continuing. "And it certainly would have been the case had the Tsuchikage not hired us for this grand endeavor."

Ay's features hardened as he glared into Itachi's matured Sharingan. "You mean to tell me that Ohnoki has already accepted?"

Itachi's features did not shift in the slightest as he met the Raikage's harsh glare head on. "He was the one who hired the Akatsuki to aid Orochimaru in the first place. His distrust and hate for Konoha run deep... A sentiment I share."

Did the old bastard want war?!

An invasion?! Now?!

"Ay-sama!" C warned lightly.

The Raikage raised his hand, halting his underling from speaking. "Before this continues... What force does Orochimaru truly have to stand against Konoha? Surely, he wouldn't push for a frontal assault against them?"

The Kinslayer shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. "The serpent has a way with words... He has convinced several Minor Villages to join his conquest... Kusagakure and Shimogakure being two of the bigger Villages following his plans. Kiba no Kuni being amongst one of the several smaller pieces of land involved." Itachi tilted his head before finishing. "Konoha has amassed many enemies in their quest for power and control... Even their one true ally is treading on the line between enemy and friend..."

Ay stood silently with his arms crossed against his chest and his face set in a scowl. His eyes were no longer focused on the Rogue Nin in front of him but on the ground.

Ohnoki had hired the Akatsuki... Whom had been contracted by _Orochimaru_ to invade Konoha when it was most vulnerable... In which several Minor Villages wished to send their aid...

How had this kind of information passed by him unheard?

Ay returned his attention back to Itachi before speaking. "And your proof?"

Itachi replied almost immediately. "You do not need to take my word for it but I possess several scrolls from Ohnoki himself. If you do not wish to read them, you are free to send one of your underlings to Iwagakure for validation..."

The Uchiha reached into his robes with ease before pulling out several scrolls, each one possessing the official tie from Ohnoki himself. He tossed the scrolls at the Raikage, which were caught by both his underlings as a precaution.

Ay motioned for his Shinobi to back away as they opened said scrolls with Raiton Bunshins.

"The Akatsuki will aid Iwagakure regardless if I choose to aid or not and this invasion _will _happen, yes?" Ay questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Itachi nodded his as he answered. "Ohnoki has offered a small contingent lead by one of their Jinchuuriki. He truly despises Konoha..."

Ay's eyebrows furrowed once more at the statement before turning towards Darui and C and giving them a pointed stare. The two men were silent as their eyes roamed over the scrolls in their possession. Several minutes passed by before C rose his head and spoke.

"It is true, Raikage-sama..." C passed the parchment to his leader who began to read. "500 Shinobi led by the Gobi Jinchuuriki... Most of which consist of Chunin and Jonin Shinobi..."

Ay stared at the parchment in slight disbelief, yet it did not show on his face.

Ohnoki truly did not care if war was on the horizon. If an opportunity to cripple Konoha showed itself then he would pounce...

Was this something that benefitted Kumogakure? Would the Land of Lightning truly prosper from such an action?

Konoha's Final Exams were less than two weeks away... Why was this just now being planned? Would a surprise attack from two Major Villages, an organization with several powerful Rogue Shinobi and several Minor Villages be enough to topple a Major Village?

No, it wouldn't... But toppling Konoha wasn't the goal... _Crippling_ Konoha was the end goal. And serious damage could be done in just a single day.

Hmm... Perhaps...

It was certainly a very enticing route... Even if Konoha managed to push back the invasion and hold their ground, the damage would have already been done. A minor contingent from Iwa and Kumo wouldn't necessarily destroy the village but it wasn't meant to do so. If he matched the Shinobi that Ohnoki had already offered then severe damage could be dished out.

"And what aid does the Akatsuki give?" Ay questioned while handing the scrolls back to C.

A hint of emotion finally seemed to appear on Itachi's face at the Raikage's question. A ghost of a smirk appeared on his lips as he replied quietly.

"Something that could spell the end for Konoha if handled poorly..."

* * *

Naruto awoke with a silent gasp, his chest clenching tightly as his eyes took in the blackened sky. He blinked several times as a tingling feeling spread throughout his entire body.

Kami... He felt so sore.

"Uuurggghh..." He rose his right hand towards his face, a task that was more difficult than he would have liked to admit. He felt so sluggish... So slow... So _tired_...

"You've been out for almost a week."

Naruto continued to rub his eyes before turning his head towards the man who had spoken. "I'm so tired..."

Shisui studied his friend for several long seconds before shifting his attention to the small campfire he had created. He tended to the flames for several seconds before speaking.

"How do you feel?" Shisui questioned lightly.

The redhead did not reply immediately, still rubbing his face and grumbling quietly to himself. It took a minute or two to get a response but he eventually replied.

"I _feel_ like _shit_..." Naruto placed his hands on the ground before pushing himself upright. A task that was slightly annoying to perform due to the jelly-like feeling of his muscles. "How long?"

Shisui reached into one of his pouches and procured a small plastic bag. Inside the bag was several pieces of dehydrated meat. He fished the pieces of meat out of the bag before tossing a piece to Naruto who scrambled to catch it.

"Six days. It's still a disturbing sight seeing someone's muscles stitching back together... You're weird." Shisui replied with a light smirk on his unmasked face.

Naruto grunted in annoyance at his friend's comment before biting into the dried meat. He practically devoured the piece of jerky, feeling atleast some measure of rejuvenation from the food.

Shisui took his canteen off his utility belt before passing it to Naruto who gulped the entire canteen of water down in less than 5 seconds.

Shisui would be annoyed if he cared. Though, that was _his_ water... So maybe he was just a _little_ annoyed.

"Rude." Was all he said though.

"Suck my dick." Was the response Shisui was given.

Fair enough.

Shisui caught the thrown canteen with ease before handing the bag of jerky to Naruto, who ate every piece in less than a second.

"You'll be healed up enough for the Exams?" Shisui questioned lightly.

The crimson haired teen scoffed at the question. "The only threat is the Jinchuuriki and I'd still handle him quite easily. I could be at fifty percent and still not struggle with him."

Ahh... The famous 'Uzumaki Confidence' shining brightly. Truly a spectacle.

"Heard you got eyes for the Jinchuuriki's sister..." Shisui glanced towards his friend who was now staring directly at him.

"Where do you get this information from?" Naruto asked curiously.

The Uchiha chuckled quietly as he mended the flames. "Normally I'd just say 'I have my ways' but this isn't one of those times. I asked Danzo and he told me." He revealed with a tiny smirk.

Naruto's expression shifted into annoyance before he shook his head. "That old..." He paused for a second before sighing quietly. "I have my own reasons for being interested in her... Let's leave it at that."

"Hoh..." Shisui spoke up with an intrigued tone. "And Kakashi was sure that you had eyes on Neko."

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki actually snorted in amusement at his friend's statement. "Don't start with that. I had to deal with Anko for weeks after that ordeal..."

The Uchiha just merely smiled as his attention shifted back to the campfire. His smile eventually tapered off and set into a small frown.

Shisui had this nagging feeling... A prick of anxiety at the very back of his head... and he didn't truly know why.

Ever since he and Naruto had left for this mission he had been feeling this sense of restlessness. Like something bad was going to happen. He had thought it would be due to this mission and the circumstances surrounding it but...

The flames that Shisui stared into began to slowly dissipate, leaving the charred remains of the wooden logs he had used to start it. The orange light that had enveloped the area ceased to exist, shrouding both Shinobi in darkness.

Again, that feeling of anxiety sat deep in Shisui's heart.

Why?

* * *

Teal eyes stared into brown orbs with a hint of resentment and indifference. The room was silent and carried a hefty amount of tension despite the lack of words from both individuals.

Temari stared into her father's eyes while restraining the urge to grip her battle fan. She stood still with her hands clasped behind her back and met her father's blank stare head on. Not once did she blink or back down from him.

Rada observed his oldest child with a scrutinizing gaze. Temari was his... _problematic_ child, so to say.

An interesting way to describe his only daughter considering Gaara was viewed as a psychopath amongst the villagers. While not _entirely_ true, the boy would often disregard the populace and its lives.

Gaara did not care about many things. He was easy to deal with, to some degree. Point the boy in a direction and tell him to walk and he would. Many in the village viewed their relationship like one would a pet.

Not entirely untrue but not inherently correct either. Gaara was still his son at the end of the day and behind closed doors, he was treated as such.

But Gaara was a Jinchuuriki and a weapon to be used... As demeaning as it sounded.

Kankuro was... flamboyant. It was certainly the most fitting description for his second eldest child. There was not much that needed to be said about the puppeteer.

He did his duties, complaining when things got tough but still, he did them.

Temari was truly the enigma amongst his children. Disobedient to a degree that shocked his underlings and stern, not unlike himself.

Bold and confident but was able to flip the switch to a kind and gentle woman. She shared Kararu's philosophy on life and protected Gaara from the populace.

Temari had practically raised Gaara and the boy was _incredibly_ protective over her. So much so that his sand would protect even _her_ from potential harm.

Pakura had advised him to nurture their bond and not to disrupt it... He had been hesitant at first but allowed their relationship to flourish. Gaara trusted no one in this village like he did Temari.

Not himself, Kankuro or even Pakura.

Speaking of Pakura...

Rasa shifted his gaze from his daughter to his right hand man or rather, _woman_.

The woman stood at his side with her arms crossed beneath her bust. Her brown eyes stared at Temari with a hint of affection, having personally tutored Temari alongside another Kunoichi named Maki.

"Has there been any information of Orochimaru's whereabouts?" Rasa questioned his right hand lightly.

Pakura's gaze did not leave Temari as she replied. "None."

Rasa did not display his annoyance at the statement. That serpent truly was a coward... Did he truly believe that he could topple Konoha with aid from Minor Villages?

The arrogant Sannin was a stain on the Elemental Nations and he'd love nothing more than to grind his bones to dust with his gold sand.

"Has word been sent to Konoha about the serpent's plans?" Rasa questioned once more.

The woman's shoulders tensed for a moment before she replied. "Yes, Kazekage-sama."

Rasa could detect the change in inflection from the woman's indifferent tone. And so, he allowed her to speak freely.

"I do not see why Sunagakure should aid Konoha to begin with... Hiruzen has his hands wrapped around our Villages' throat and shows no sign of stopping. Ally or not, his actions towards Sunagakure and Wind Country as a whole, is disrespectful. They should suffer for their actions." Pakura stated in a slightly heated and passionate tone.

As expected from Pakura...

The Yondaime Kazekage ignored his daughter's curious gaze as he leaned back into his seat. Rasa clasped his hands together on his lap before glancing towards his right hand.

"Suna gains nothing should Konoha fall... Do you believe that the other Major Villages will be content with Konoha's fall?" He asked rhetorically. "They will turn their attention towards Sunagakure... As much as I do not like the idea of offering aid to Konoha, it is our _best_ course of action."

"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have finally settled their differences and are allied once more... We both know what happened the last time those two Villages allied together. It took the power of Konoha's most terrifying Kage to end that war... The Yellow Flash is no longer alive to stop a war from outright happening, Pakura."

At her leader's explanation, Pakura bowed her head. "I apologise, Kazekage-sama."

The man waved her apology off with ease. "I allowed you to speak freely." He turned his attention towards his daughter and took note of her narrowed gaze. "Have you accomplished the tasks you set for yourself Temari?"

Temari was silent for a moment before nodding her head causing her pigtails to bounce. "Yes, Rasa-sama. Pakura-sensei and Baki-sensei have pushed me past my limits several times. I have grown far stronger in these past three weeks than I have since becoming a Shinobi."

The Yondaime Kazekage nodded his head as he stared into the eyes of his daughter. "Gaara informed you of your role."

It was not a question.

The sandy blonde refused to display her annoyance at the statement. "Yes, he did."

"And your thoughts?" Rasa questioned with a blank gaze.

Though slightly surprised at the question, Temari answered. "It is my duty as a Kunoichi from Sunagakure to perform the tasks that my leader gives me."

Rasa shook his head as he spoke. "That is not what I asked, Temari. How do you _feel_ about the duty being given to you?" His fingers tapped against one another as he spoke again. "You are permitted to speak freely."

The Futon user was silent for several seconds as she processed her father's words.

How did she... feel?

She was silent for several moments as her head bowed, her gaze focusing on the carpeted floors of her father's office.

Temari felt... many things. Anger being one of those... Resentment being another.

Raising her head up, she spoke. "Angry... Angry that I'm to be used as a bargaining chip... Sad that my own father cares more about his village than his children. Frustrated that I have to not only _accept_ these things but that I have to _do _them as well..." Temari's teal eyes left her father's as she stared down at the ground.

"What I feel is irrelevant because at the end of the day you will do what you believe is best for Sunagakure, won't you father?"

After her question Temari proceeded to leave the office, not waiting for a dismissal. The door shut behind her with a resounding thud, drowning the room in silence.

Both Pakura and Rasa stared at the door, each with different interpretations of Temari's words.

At the end of the day, Temari was a young woman. A young woman that was shackled to the duties of her Village. Expected to perform her tasks without question.

Such was the life of a Shinobi... Plagued by suffering.

* * *

Naruto and Shisui hopped through the forest in silence. It had been three days since he had woken up from his self induced coma due to chakra fatigue.

Which sounded alot worse than it actually was because he could heal and bounce back from chakra exhaustion in less than a week. The Kyuubi was a blessing at times where his body would fail him.

"Took a bit longer than I would've liked but atleast we're done."

Shisui glanced to his friend before replying, his feet landing on a rather large tree trunk before he jumped to another. "If someone hadn't felt the need to nap for an entire week then we could've already been home." He replied cheekily.

Naruto scoffed as he replied. "I'll remember that the next time you get swarmed by groupies."

The Uchiha laughed openly at his friend. "How very rude of you."

The two Root Shinobi descended into comfortable silence as they tree hopped through the forested areas of Fire Country. Several hours passed by as the sun began to slowly descend, the Village of Konoha being seen from a few kilometers away.

The two Shinobi became a blur as their forms traversed through the thick foliage of Konoha's giant trees. It took less than thirty minutes for them to reach one of the many hidden Root entrances on the outskirts of the Village.

Shisui touched down upon the soil, his ebony eyes morphing into the Sharingan. His Doujutsu spotted a thin outline of chakra that sat just beneath the soil. He took a single knee and made to touch the soil that would allow him access into a hidden tunnel that run through Konoha.

"The Village is a hornets nest right now."

The Uchiha glanced towards his friend upon hearing his words and noticed Naruto staring up towards the behemoth sized walls that surrounded Konoha. Shisui followed the boy's gaze and noticed a small group of ANBU Shinobi who were crouching atop one of the various watchtowers on the corners of wall.

"Odd welcoming party..." Shisui mentioned rather offhandedly. He slowly rose to his feet as the small group of ANBU dove off the side of the Village walls. Their forms became a blur as they picked up speed before one of the Shinobi wrapped his arms around his comrades.

The three ANBU members immediately halted in the air before slowly dropping to the ground as if they hadn't dove almost 50 meters off the side of the village walls.

Naruto glanced towards his best friend before turning his attention to the three ANBU who landed in front of them.

"Karasu. Nezumi." The male ANBU member spoke in a blank tone, addressing Shisui and Naruto's codenames.

Naruto made a simple gesture with his hand as he stared at the ANBU Captain. The man returned the gesture with one of his own before tilting his head towards the hidden Root entrance.

Naruto gestured for Shisui to open the entrance, who did so immediately. The Uchiha's fingers glided across the soil in an intricate manner before he channeled a small amount of chakra to his fingertips. A seal glowed for a brief moment before the ground shifted.

The dirt and earth slowly crumbled away revealing a rather small entrance, equipped with a double metal door that was currently locked. Upon cracking the lock, it slowly opened to reveal a black tunnel with a staircase descending into the darkness.

Before the group moved, Naruto spoke to the ANBU Captain. "Why the welcoming party?"

The ANBU Captain seemed almost hesitant to respond before shaking his head. "It is best if you hear it from Hokage-sama."

"How very ominous of you." Shisui spoke with some amount of amusement.

One of the women who possessed a bird-themed mask replied. "One would think that an individual who aligns themselves under Danzo would choose to display their emotions sparingly so as to not cause commotion."

Shisui only seemed to be more amused at the comment as evident by the way his shoulders dropped and how his stance loosened. "That sentence had so many syllables... What's wrong with you?"

Naruto rolled his eyes before stopping Shisui from continuing. "Stop being an idiot. Let's go." He immediately began to head down the dark staircase, not waiting for a response from either parties.

The Shunshin master only smiled in response, turning towards his fellow Shinobi and making a rather exaggerated motion with his hands.

"After you~!"

The 3 ANBU members just ignored his antics as they followed Naruto's lead. Despite their lackluster reaction Shisui still chuckled quietly to himself.

The group of Shinobi continued their trek in silence, passing by dim torches that were placed every 20 feet along the walls. Their steps echoed loudly off the walls of the stone hallway and the silence was numbing.

Naruto led the charge with Shisui taking up the rear guard. The masked Uchiha idly fingered the sheath of his Tanto before shrugging his shoulders and striking up a conversation, an obvious taboo amongst their fellow masked Shinobi when on duty.

"Sooooo... what's got your thong twisted, Tori-san?" He asked in an amused manner.

The aforementioned woman who dawned the bird-themed mask did not react to the question and proceeded to outright ignore Shisui. Whether it was due to his annoying personality or annoying question was entirely up in the air.

"Ahhhh... You ANBU are so boring. All work and no fun... No wonder Inu-san left."

Naruto shook his head in annoyance at Shisui's words. Pocketing his gloved hands, he spoke aloud. "This is why people don't associate themselves with you, Karasu."

As if affronted and in total disbelief at the notion, Shisui replied in a aghast tone. "And why wouldn't they?! I'm fun! I'm a nice guy, honestly!"

The red haired teen snorted at his friend's comment as he replied. "Spending as much time as I have around you, I can conclude that while that may be _true_ and entirely correct, it does not change the fact that you're annoying."

"Why am I getting shit on today?" Shisui asked rhetorically. "I don't deserve this."

"If you stopped being an _idiot_ then you wouldn't _get_ the treatment in the first place." Naruto shot back.

"I'll have you know I graduated at the _top_ of my class. I'm a _prodigy_." Shisui stated in a posh manner.

Naruto cackled loudly before turning his body around so he could look at his friend while replying. "Your graduating class was full of civies! That isn't even commendable." He snorted in amusement as his eyes glanced to the three ANBU members who were just silently listening to their back and forth.

The Shunshin master scoffed as he crossed his arms against his chest. "You're one to talk... You flunked your first Shinobi Test. I don't even want to hear it."

A genuine prick of annoyance struck Naruto at his friend's comment. "That was completely unnecessary and you know it. Those assholes failed me on purpose."

Shisui rose both of his hands towards the eyeholes of his mask before clenching them and mimicking the notion of someone who was balling their eyes out.

"Aww! Woe is me for the system has failed me!" He mocked his friend childishly.

"You're _actually_ lucky that we're still on duty or I'd be kicking your ass up and down these halls!" Naruto threatened with a raised fist.

"Yeah, sure whatever." The Uchiha replied dismissively while waving his hand in a nonchalant manner.

The crimson haired teen huffed before turning around and flipping his friend off. "Just wait till we're done talking with Hokage-sama. You're gonna get an ass beating."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Nezumi." Shisui replied with an amused smile.

* * *

"You want to run that by me again?"

Hiruzen had to close his eyes to stifle the groan of annoyance that sat at the tip of his tongue. Taking several moments to relax the elderly Kage took a hefty puff of his trusty pipe before blowing the substance out.

"I do not wish to repeat myself, Naruto." Hiruzen stated plainly, eyes still closed and body relaxed.

The crimson haired teen stared at his leader with a frustrated gaze before glancing towards his best friend and mentor.

"Do I not even get a choice in the matter?!" He questioned heatedly.

The Sandaime Hokage placed his pipe on his table before clasping his hands together and finally opening his eyes. His aged orbs bore into Naruto as he spoke.

"Rasa-dono and I already came to an agreement regarding the entire situation. As a Shinobi, especially one in _your_ circumstance, it is your duty to perform tasks that are for the betterment of your Village." He tilted his head with narrowed eyes as he continued. "If the information that Rasa-dono provided turns out to be true then you are _expected_ to perform the duty we have given you."

Naruto's hands balled tightly at the man's words but he refused to speak out knowing it would only cause issues. Instead, he just get his teeth while bowing his head.

"Hai, Hokage..._ sama_."

Hiruzen stared at the Jinchuuriki for several moments before glancing towards his old rival and speaking. "Have your Root agents managed to confirm these rumors? Or atleast procured some kind of information regarding this invasion?"

Danzo closed his visible eye before replying. "Eyewitness accounts of having seen Orochimaru himself fleeing from the deserts of Sunagakure can attest to the information Rasa has provided. Agents in Suna inform me that Rasa is mobilizing his Shinobi, whether he does so to aid us is up in the air..."

Hiruzen closed his eyes while nodding his head. He was silent for several minutes before addressing his Shinobi.

"Shisui, you will lead a battalion of Root and ANBU units towards the Southern Gates. If these Minor Villages wish to test the might of Konoha then they shall be rewarded with death. Leave no stragglers. Exterminate them."

Shisui placed his fist over his heart as he bowed his head. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen shifted his gaze back to Naruto before speaking. "You will continue to perform in the Chunin Exams... When signs are shown, you will head directly to the Northern Gates. The Sword and Shield of Konoha should meet its attackers head on."

Despite the residual anger coursing through Naruto's veins, he nodded his head in compliance. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

After staring at the crimson haired teen for a second longer than necessary, Hiruzen nodded his head before closing his eyes.

"You two are dismissed."

Naruto and Shisui bowed low before disappearing in a Shunshin at the same time.

There was several seconds of silence following their exit and Hiruzen waited patiently for Danzo to express his opinion. It took a little longer than he expected but the man eventually spoke.

"Do you think it wise to force Naruto into this position?"

The Sandaime picked his pipe up before inhaling once more. "I see no true harm in the situation... His interest in the girl was a surprise to Rasa himself. He practically jumped at the opportunity and I'm sure he knows more than he lets on. After all, Naruto is too similar looking to Minato for it to go completely unnoticed."

Danzo shifted his cane before closing his eye. "Rasa had no information on Naruto to begin with... _I_ made sure it _stayed_ that way. You are causing unnecessary tension."

Hiruzen would have scoffed had he been a younger man. "Ironic words, Danzo."

"Intervening and deciding what is best for the boy will only cause him to resent you. I do not care either way but I find it prudent to give my opinion since he will play an integral part in Konoha's future." Danzo began to move towards the door of the office. "Naruto does not need someone, moreso _you_, to play matchmaker with his life. Ponder these words Hiruzen. You have already pushed him too far once before."

After saying his peace, Danzo opened the door to the office and silently left. The door closed with a resounding thud, bathing the room in a heavy silence.

Hiruzen stared at his desk quietly before shaking his head and closing his eyes.

* * *

Blood splattered on the floor as Naruto grunted quietly. His fists struck the metal walls of his training room in rapid waves.

Resounding bangs and clangs emitted from his actions as he continuously pounded the steel walls.

Straight. **BANG**.

Jab. **Clang**.

Hook. **THUNG**.

Straight. **BANG**. Straight. **BANG.**

StraightStraightStraightStraightStraightStraight.

**BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG**.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Naruto paused for the briefest of moments before shaking his head and striking the steel walls once more, slightly denting the metal with his punches. Blood continued to splatter against the walls and floor as Naruto's fists struck the hardened surface.

"Ya know, holding things in just makes it worse. One day you're gonna have to talk about how you feel, Naruto."

Once more Naruto ignored the words of his friend though his strikes seemed to become more wild and powerful.

Straight. Hook. Straight. Straight.

**BAAANG. THUUUNG. BAAANG. BAAANG. **

The steel walls of the room groaned quietly as Naruto's fists struck the metal. His strikes continued to grow in strength, bending the metal and causing it groan louder from the strength of his attacks.

"Being angry doesn't solve your problems, Naruto. You _need _to-." Shisui was cut off from speaking as Naruto's right fist struck _through_ the steel wall he was punching.

The Jinchuuriki slowly turned towards Shisui revealing a set of animalistic crimson eyes, equipped with a slit through his pupils and a glare that could cause hell to freeze over.

The malevolent aura of the Kyuubi washed through the training room, bathing it in hate and anger. The feeling alone was enough for the hairs on the back of Shisui's neck to stand. And still, he remained steadfast as he stared at his best friend.

"**I'm _tired_ of people telling me I _need_ to do this or I _need_ to do that." **Naruto slowly retracted his arm from the hole he made, revealing his mangled and broken hand.

Blood dripped down onto the floor due to the mangled and torn flesh. Shisui watched the boy's bones bend and snap as they slowly repaired from the damage Naruto had caused. Flesh restitched slowly as a crimson cloak of Chakra engulfed the boy's appendage.

It took only a few seconds for Naruto's right hand to completely heal as if never having been damaged in the first place.

The crimson haired teen clenched his right fist tightly as he slowly inhaled and exhaled. Several moments passed by before he opened his eyes, revealing his normal violet pupils.

"I've lived my entire life following orders Shisui... And I'm tired..." Naruto stared at his clenched fist for several seconds before placing his back against the wall and slowly sliding down it until his bottom touched the floor.

Shisui stared at his friend before slowly approaching him and taking a seat directly beside him. He placed his head against the steel wall and remained silent, patiently waiting for Naruto to continue talking.

"I always feel so... _trapped_ in the Village. 'You're a tool to be used.' Root's Mantra repeats inside my head day and night..." Naruto unclenched his fist and proceeded to wring his fingers through his thick, crimson locks. "I don't know... Maybe I just want to be _normal_ for a change."

Continuing his ministrations, he spoke again. "I didn't _ask_ to be a Jinchuuriki. I didn't _ask_ to be a weapon for Konoha. And I _certainly_ didn't _ask_ for a Political Alliance Marriage..." Naruto finished with a heavy sigh as he covered his face with his right hand.

Shisui sat quietly for a few moments before glancing down to his hands and clasping them together. He took a brief moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.

"When I was 7 years old my father, Kagami Uchiha, died. My mother had died during childbirth and I was left with nothing." Shisui tilted his head as he stared at his hands before continuing. "I manifested my Mangekyou Sharingan at such a young age... My skill and prowess caught the attention of Fugaku and unlike other members in my position, he took me in."

"Fugaku treated me like a son despite knowing that I was a branch member. A branch member that clearly stood out amongst his peers... By the age of 10 I was able to defeat those who were twice my age with little issue. A 'Once in a lifetime prodigy' they called me."

Shisui shook his head as chuckled though there was no humor in his voice. "So much talent and skill that Hokage-sama placed me in the ANBU to refine my skills. Instead of playing tag like others did at my age, I was learning how to torture men and women for information. Instead of playing jump rope, I was sneaking into homes and slitting the throats of men and women."

Shisui turned towards his friend as his Sharingan spun to life, taking note of the fact that Naruto was listening intently to everything he was saying.

"People like you, me, Kakashi, and even Itachi... Are victims of circumstance. Name others in this village that have suffered like we have at such young ages? Being gifted will only get you so far. Take Sasuke for example. He is incredibly talented for his age but he is no where near the level that you are."

Shisui lifted his right arm before wrapping it around Naruto's shoulders. "Do ya think I _wanted_ to be a once in a lifetime prodigy?" He chuckled lightly before answering his rhetorical question. "Not in the slightest... I definitely wanted to eat ice cream and 'play' Shinobi with kids at the park. But instead... I'm here. Protecting and serving my home because it's all I know."

Shisui closed his eyes before placing his head against the wall once more and speaking one last time. "And there's nothing wrong with that... Wanting to be normal is...Well, normal. But you already know that _we_ can't be normal... And that probably stings the most."

* * *

Naruto could hear the cheers from the Arena from his perch atop his father's bust. His violet eyes stared out into the Village and noticed how empty the Village actually looked without its civilians.

They had been evacuated to the safety bunkers yesterday and in their place were the Shinobi from the Reserves and Sunagakure Shinobi, cloaked in Henges so as to not attract attention if Orochimaru truly was in Konoha.

Naruto sighed quietly as he glanced to the seal that rested on his forearm. He really hoped he didn't have to use this technique today...

Staring at the white cloth for several more seconds, he turned his attention towards the Arena where the finals would be taking place.

The Arena could comfortably fit around two thousand individuals and was a staple to the Village. Having survived the test of time during the original creation of Konoha...

15 minutes.

Naruto crossed his arms against his chest and tightened the cloth around his waist. He adjusted the glove that rested on his left hand, inspecting the seal that sat on the back of it to make sure it wouldn't malfunction during combat. After assessing the seal, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his headband before tying it around his neck.

10 minutes.

Naruto crossed his arms against his chest before glancing down to his right and spotting a masked figure kneeling beside him with their fist on the ground.

"Have the scouts found them?" Naruto questioned lightly.

The Root member rose their head before replying. "Distortions were discovered 5 kliks out from the Village. They bypassed the barrier without detection... Traitors are suspected."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he turned his attention towards the Arena. They completely bypassed the barrier without _any kind_ of detection?

How?

That didn't even make sense...

After Itachi's betrayal, the Sealing and Barrier Department had made sure to completely change and alter the barrier so that outside forces, whether new or old, would have to be 'rescanned'.

A traitor in the Barrier Squad?

A truly frightening thought.

Naruto glanced towards the Root member before speaking. "Take a squad, no more than four, and patrol the outer perimeter of the Barrier. Do not engage and only scout. If you discover more troops or Shinobi then signal through the Barrier. There are multiple teams on standby that will carry the message. Now go."

The Root member nodded their head before disappearing in a Shunshin to accomplish their task, leaving Naruto to his thoughts.

War... It seemed so inevitable at this point. This event was likely to spark something bigger in the Elemental Nations...

Iwa and Kumo were sharks in the water and Konoha was certainly going to bleed today. Regardless if today ended in total success or not mattered little... Ohnoki and Ay were opportunistic individuals who took every advantage they could get.

Give them a few inches and they'd take a mile.

Konoha would be ready.

_He_ would be ready.

5 minutes.

Naruto cracked his neck several times before sighing quietly and disappearing in a Shunshin.

* * *

"To think I would be working with you Kumo-Nin again... Despicable." The gruff voice of an _incredibly_ tall individual spoke out. The gigantic man towered over his fellow allies by atleast two heads and was covered from head to toe with only a small portion of his face actually being visible. He wore a plain Kimono that covered his odd red armor. On his head sat a red straw hat that matched his heavily armored form.

"I can practically _smell_ the arrogance that wafts off you." A feminine voice responded in a patronizing tone. "You are lucky we are allies today Han."

The giant named Han glanced towards the woman who had spoken as he took in her appearance. She wore a short-sleeved black and purple blouse and black pants with bandages wrapped around her legs and arms. An odd set of blue beads were wrapped around the woman's left arm. Her blonde hair was taut in bandages and fell to her waist.

"Stay out of my way and we won't have issues... Yugito Nii." He retorted in an uncaring tone.

The blonde woman adopted a feral smile upon her beautiful face and before she could speak, another individual did.

"Now now you two... Get along. We're all friends here."

The two rival-turned-ally Shinobi turned towards the bespectacled man who had spoken. The man possessed ashen gray hair that was kept in a ponytail tail and wore an all black robe equipped with a hood that was currently off.

Kabuto Yakushi... The spy that would personally be reverse summoning them into Konoha's Barrier.

Han and Yugito said nothing as the man stared at them with a gaze reminiscent to that of a Doctor who stood over his patient.

His gaze did not affect the two Jinchuuriki who had experienced far worse from their Bijuu. This weak man did not intimidate either of them and he likely knew this.

"Orochimaru-sama needs your compliance for this to work. It is best to play your roles, yes?"

Yugito raised an eyebrow at the man before sitting on a small rock near her position. Her eyes roamed along the walls of the cave that they resided in and she withheld the sigh of annoyance that wished to escape her.

This man was annoying... Even moreso than Killer Bee. And _that_ was saying something.

She peeked an eye open as she heard the distinct hissing sound of air escaping from a tight hole. Her lone orb trailed towards her fellow Jinchuuriki and noticed that the man's form was beginning to emit steam, causing his surroundings to heat up exponentially.

Hoh... This could be interesting.

"Is there a problem Han?" Kabuto spoke curiously with a tilted head.

The spy was either an idiot or a brazen man.

Han continued to emit his signature steam for several more seconds before abruptly halting and shaking his head. He began to walk away from their position before stopping at the far end of the cave and leaning against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest.

Well..., that was a disappointment. Here she was, thinking something entertaining would happen.

"I shall take that as a no." Kabuto spoke quietly with a tilted head. "We will depart in a hours time... Make sure you are prepared."

After speaking Kabuto slowly exited the cave, disappearing into the intricate and vast tunnels.

"Annoying cretin."

Yugito dawned a small smirk at Han's quiet insult and chuckled quietly. Perhaps her time with Han wouldn't be _that_ bad afterall.

* * *

"It is a pleasure to meet the leader of a Otogakure." Hiruzen spoke in a pleasant tone. "It is not everyday that a Minor Village, especially one that has sprung up on such short notice, is able to compete with Major Villages in the Chunin Exams."

The Sandaime Hokage glanced towards his company, eyeing Rasa for a mere second before shifting towards the man who sat in the third seat in their private booth.

He was a very... _unassuming_ man. Thin eyebrows with a narrow chin and a very forgettable face. He wore a basic straw hat atop his head, covering the long black hair that he possessed. He was dressed in a pristine white and black Kimono that sported the Kanji for his Village. The insignia rested where his heart would be and in his hand was a thin, black cane.

"Such a warm welcome." Smooth like honey was the man's voice. "I am humbled by your words Hokage-sama. Our Village had been founded some time ago, several years ago in fact but I found it better to remain inconspicuous and out of sight. Afterall, we _are_ a Minor Village... We do not pose a threat."

Rasa studied the man for several seconds and opted to remain silent, allowing Hiruzen to engage in small talk.

"Ahh! It appears I have not given my name." The Oto leader chuckled quietly before bowing his head and taking his seat, silently waving off his personal Shinobi when they offered to take his hat. "My name is Sanji Yori."

Hiruzen stared at the man named Sanji for a moment before offering a small smile. "A pleasure, Sanji..." He let his greeting fall silent as he stared at the man's personal Shinobi.

A female that sported long tresses of blood red hair with a pair of violet eyes. She dawned what appeared to be a calm and relaxed expression but Hiruzen could tell that the girl was withholding from scowling. The light twitches from her eyebrow and how her fingers curled every few seconds was incredibly telling.

She reminded Hiruzen of Kushina. An Uzumaki she certainly was judging by her appearance and rather impressive Chakra pool.

Hiruzen turned his attention away from the girl before motioning with his hand, gaining the attention of his own personal Shinobi who bent over to hear what his leader wished to say.

Kakashi subtly glanced at the red haired girl before standing to his original position once Hiruzen finished whispering into his ear. He nodded his head before placing his hands into his pockets and disappearing from the booth in a Shunshin.

"Something wrong Hokage-dono?" Rasa finally spoke as he watched Kakashi disappear.

The Sandaime just smiled as he leaned back into his seat. "Not at all Kazekage-dono. I merely forgot to sign off on some rather important documents."

The Yondaime Kazekage was silent for a moment before motioning with his right hand, gaining the attention of his personal Shinobi.

Pakura nodded her head while placing her hands behind her back. "Kazekage-same."

After speaking, her form was covered in a thin layer of gold dust and she immediately disintegrated and scattered into the wind, signifying that Rasa had dismissed her.

The leader of Oto watched the two Kages dismiss their Shinobi with a slightly curious gaze.

_I__nteresting_ decisions...

* * *

Naruto sighed quietly as he walked through the dark tunnel that would lead into the Arena's... arena.

What a stupid name...

"I _really_ don't want to do this..." A rather tired voice spoke from beside Naruto.

The crimson haired teen glanced towards his fellow Konoha Shinobi who had advanced this far and sported a small smirk.

Shikamaru Nara... Asuma's prized student. Said to have an IQ easily over 200 and ridiculously talented, but cursed with the sloth-like nature that all his clan members possess.

Naruto chuckled quietly as he pocketed his hands. "Cheer up... It'll be over quickly if you're smart." He proceeded to wink when the boy lazily turned his head towards his direction.

The Nara just silently observed his fellow Shinobi, whom he had _little_ to _no_ information about, and remained silent. He had done quite the bit of searching on 'Naruto Uzumaki' and well...

He had nothing.

Naruto was basically a ghost. He had no records and his slate was blank. The only thing he _did_ have on the boy was that he had replaced Sai on Team 7 a month before the Chunin Exams actually started.

And he had gotten all this information from Sakura. She had explained that the boy was kind of aloof. Questions about himself were avoided and he typically distanced himself from her and Sasuke, only truly interacting with them should a situation at hand call for it.

Sakura had also mentioned that the boy was _incredibly_ close to their Jonin. Almost as if they had been friends for a long time.

Which is entirely impossible unless the boy was some kind of under cover ANBU planted in the Chunin Exams for the sole purpose of scouting talent.

Well, that was _his_ theory atleast.

"Careful there, Nara... Ya might hurt yourself thinking too much." Naruto spoke up in slight amusement, knowing that Shikamaru was trying to break down every piece of information he had regarding himself.

"You're a puzzle... And I really hate puzzles." Was all Shikamaru said as he went back to doing whatever it is that Naras do when they've exhausted all forms of research.

Naruto and Shikamaru continued their slow pace until finally reaching the end of the dimly lit tunnel that would lead out into the main combat area of the Arena.

The two Konoha Shinobi noticed several other individuals who were all all standing near the exit of the tunnel, each of these individuals being the Shinobi that they would eventually have to fight if they made it past their own fights.

Despite knowing that Hiruzen and Rasa had practically formed an Alliance on the back of Temari and his relationship _somehow_ developing through this fight, he was still happy seeing her.

Approaching the Suna Siblings, an action that his fellow Konoha Shinobi watched with narrowed gazes, Naruto raised his left hand in greetings.

"Ahh... Still beautiful."

The compliment obviously being for Temari who didn't know whether to accept it or outright vehemently deny the claim. On one hand, it was nice being called beautiful but on the other hand it was further pushing the agenda that _this_ would be her future life and by extension, Naruto would be her future husband.

While she would rather bash the red haired Konoha Shinobi in the mouth with her battle fan due to the predicament they now both shared, she would absolve from doing so.

Atleast right now of course... There was always room for future bashing of the skull if he continued being annoying.

Naruto stopped his approach upon noticing the tiny grains of sand that slithered around the Ichibi Jinchuuriki and Temari.

Interesting...

"You're insufferable... You know this right?" Temari replied with her arms crossed against her chest. She noted that the boy's analytical gaze disappeared and that same roguish smirk he had when she was here a month ago, returned with a vengeance.

Agh! She could feel her cheeks already heating up! Stupid fucking hormones!

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki placed his hands into his pockets as he chuckled. "I aim to please." Bowing in an exaggerated manner that only made him look more foolish.

Temari stared at the teen for a few moments before turning her gaze away and staring out into the Arena. "I see _your_ dream is finally coming true..."

Her tone and words wiped the small smile off of Naruto's face. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

Naruto glanced towards the girl's siblings, noting that the puppeteer sported a rather annoyed glare that was directed on himself. The Jiton user however, had a rather indifferent expression on his face but the sand that swirled around him told a different story.

"I had no part in this Temari." He stated firmly. "This isn't what I wanted."

The other Genins in the area listened to their conversation with varying degrees of interest. It had been relatively silent until the Nara and Uzumaki' had entered the vicinity.

The eldest sibling continued to stare out into the Arena as frustration swelled inside her. She was so... _annoyed_ with the entire situation. It was completely unfair and while she acknowledged that life wasn't fair, she was allowed to feel slighted by this.

"But it _is_ what you wanted." She replied while leaning on the stone walls of the tunnel.

Naruto stared at the girl for several seconds before sighing quietly and replying. "What you're saying isn't entirely incorrect but I wanted to do so on my _own_ terms... I'm just as frustrated as you are."

"Somehow I _highly_ doubt that." Temari replied a little too snidely, even for her tastes. She realized how bitter she truly sounded and felt a little bad about it.

Naruto was quiet for a brief moment before sighing quietly. "When this is all over, can we talk?"

Temari furrowed her eyebrows before glancing down at the ground. She was quiet for a few seconds before sighing. "Sure..."

That is, if they both manage to survive the impending invasion of course.

"I appreciate it Temari." Naruto nodded his head to the girl before doing the same to her two brothers and walking away.

The teen slowly approached his teammate, who's eyes had yet to stray away, and leaned on the stone walls of the tunnel.

"Friends with high profile Jonins, incredibly skilled, and comfortable with Sunagakure Shinobi..." Sasuke stated rather quietly with his hands in his pockets. "Full of secrets aren't you?"

Naruto pondered the teen's statement and wondered if he should even respond. On one hand, Sasuke was slightly annoying, possessing the confident, if not arrogant, personality that all Uchihas tended to have. On the other though, he was incredibly perceptive and mature for his age, moreso than his fellow Genins and while he certainly had his childish moments here and there it's not like the boy was all bad.

"As a Shinobi, secrets tend to keep you alive." He opened his eyes, glancing towards his teammate and continuing. "Your clan had many of them, Sasuke..."

The Uchiha's eyes sharpened at the boy's statement and instead of jumping to conclusions like those of his age would, he remained silent, accepting the underlying statement that his teammate had made.

Several minutes passed by in silence as the various conversations between the Genin ceased.

A silence that Naruto welcomed.

His violet orbs gazed over all the Genin participating and he stopped once reaching the Oto Shinobi. He proceeded to stare directly at the Genin named Dosu with an entirely too disturbing blank gaze.

The bandaged teen upon noticing Naruto's stare proceeded to return the look, though it was clear to Naruto that the boy was slightly unnerved by the look he was recieving.

Naruto blocked out everyone around him as he focused his entire attention on Dosu, forcing his will upon the boy. An action that garnered the attention of not only the Genin in the tunnel, but of the Jonin Proctor that would be viewing their fights.

Like a caged beast awaiting for its lock to corrode away, Naruto's chakra encircled the bandaged teen, almost strangling him and starving him of oxygen.

And when he spoke, the words were clear and concise.

A message that would reflect his actions in the upcoming invasion.

"_You_. _Will_. _Not_. _Win_."

And once Naruto said his peace, the weight of his Chakra dispersed and the all encompassing dread that threatened to choke the life force out of Dosu disappeared, as if never having existed in the first place.

Naruto closed his eyes, popped his neck several times, and proceeded to walk out of the tunnel.

The Jonin Proctor watched the boy take the first step out of the enclosed tunnel and withheld the smirk that wished to appear on his face, though a heavy cough did escape.

Couldn't really control that one.

Gekko Hayate crossed his arms against his chest before turning his attention to the still frozen Genin. "It's showtime kiddies. Try not to die, hmm?" He immediately followed after Naruto once he finished speaking, leaving the Genin behind and not caring if they followed.

* * *

"Welcome to the Konoha Chunin Exam Finals!" Gekko Hayate voiced loudly, his voice being amplified by Chakra. Directly behind him stood the 8 Genin that would be participating and fighting.

"I present to you, the Genin that will be fighting amongst themselves to prove to their leaders that they are deserving of the rank of Chunin." The sickly man flourished his hand as he spoke the names of each Genin, introducing then individually.

"Naruto Uzumaki of Konohakagure!"

"Temari no Sabaku of Sunagakure!"

"Gaara no Sabaku of Sunagakure!"

"Sasuke Uchiha of Konohakagure!"

"Shino Aburame of Konohakagure!"

"Shikamaru Nara of Konohakagure!"

"Dosu Kinuta of Otogakure!"

"And Neji Hyuga of Konohakagure!"

Once the cheering settled down from the crowd of disguised Konoha and Suna Shinobi, Gekko turned towards the Genin and spoke in a normal tone.

"If your names are not Naruto Uzumaki and Temari no Sabaku then please step out of the Arena and into the fighter's box." He motioned with his arm towards one of the empty stands that was relatively small.

The Genin not mentioned disappeared simultaneously. Whether that be by walking slowly, Shikamaru, and disappearing in a Shunshin that took the form of a mini tornado, Gaara.

Once the group fully dispersed, Gekko turned towards the remaining Genin and noticed the harsh stare that the Suna Kunoichi possessed. He coughed into his fist several times before raising his hand in the air and amplifying his voice his Chakra.

"Are both fighters prepared for battle?"

Naruto rolled his neck and began to stretch his arms out, nodding after doing so.

Temari swung her mighty battle fan with a determined gaze and nodded her head.

"The stipulations for battle are simple : Do not kill." He let his demand reign for several seconds before continuing. "Then all that's left is a countdown..."

A heavy silence engulfed the entire Arena as all the hidden Shinobi, Genin and Leaders watched the two Genin stare at each other.

A gentle breeze swept through the area, jostling both Naruto and Temari's hair and clothes. Both Genin's tensed up as their eyes dilated.

"3!" Gekko yelled loudly.

A roguish smirk formed on Naruto's face as his fingers curled in anticipation. His blood began to pump viciously from the confines of his veins.

What did his future wife have in store for him? He was excited to find out first hand.

"2!" Gekko yelled out once more.

Temari's muscles flexed as Chakra flooded her veins. Her battle fan proceeded to click loudly, revealing a single moon on its surface.

It was time to show Naruto the fruits of her labor. She'd wipe that smirk off his face even if she had to break bones to do so.

"1!"

Naruto and Temari moved before Gekko even brought his hand down.

"HAJIME!"

**AN: Ya hate to see a cliffhanger don't ya? Good. Got em.**

**Nothing else to say but this -**

**#BlackLivesMatter**

**#NoJusticeNoPeace**

**#DefundThePolice**

**I support the movement and anyone who disagrees is a fucking mongrel. If you're only counter is 'All Lives Matter' then you're a fucking moron.**

**_All Lives Can Not Matter Until Black Lives Do. _**

**Suck my dick if you think otherwise. If I ruin your day with what I say, GOOD. Fuck you. I don't need your fucking support. Jump off a cliff. **


End file.
